Remnants
by TheDarkestMind
Summary: This is a giftfic written for WAR-Operative for her story, Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes.
1. I'll Follow You

**Hello there everyone! This is a giftfic for WAR-Operative, who is writing my all time favorite fan fic of the Thundercats. I love her story so much that every time she posts a new chapter, my heart starts beating so fast in anticipation for what is about to happen next.**

**So I decided to write a story for her based on Lion-O and her OC, Echo.**

**Now keep in mind that this does contain spoilers for her story Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. So I recommend you read her story first then come back here. Trust me when I say that her Fan fiction is literally one of the best Thundercats fan fics I had ever read. Also I just want to say that I'm not a NYT Bestselling author, so my prose may not be the best, but I did my best and that's all that matters.**

**This story in particular was inspired by the song and music video I Follow Rivers by Lykke li. The lyrics and music video fit well into the strained relationship Lion-O and Echo has. **

**I do not own the Thundercats, I do not own Echo, she belongs to WAR-Operative. Nor do I own the song or music video for I Follow Rivers. The song belongs to Lykke Li.**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

It was cold. That much Lion-O knew. All around him, nothing but snow coated the land, with patches of dark brown grass sticking out. Trees were sparse. There were some here and there, some with leaves and some without. The sky was a murky grey, like it might rain or snow.

He didn't know where he was or how he got here. He looked around him, trying to see if there was anyone out here who can help. But there was no one. He felt like he was the only cat left in the world. Where was everyone? Tygra? Cheetara? Panthro? The Wily Twins? Pumyra? Anyone?

But there was no one. Just snow and trees.

He had to find someone. Fast. Who knew how long he would last here. He would die of the cold or even from hunger. But he wasn't cold at all. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a light grey cloak. It covered his armor. He also found that he wasn't hungry. Last night, he had very little to eat. What with trying to attain peace in Cat Town and holding meetings a couple of times out of the week deprived him of little rest. He only eaten a bit of fruit before he went to bed. So he had expected to be awaken to an empty stomach. But he felt full. Like he had eaten something without even remembering.

Ignoring the lingering questions, he began walking. It was difficult at first. He had to take some big steps so he could traverse the snowy path. The snow reminded him of the time when he a Tygra were little, playing in the snow. It was rare when it snowed in Thundera. And when it did snow, it was usually light enough to cover all of Thundera in a blanket of white. He recalled many the snowball fights he had with Tygra. Out in the garden, hiding behind trees and bushes, waiting for that moment to throw a snowball at Tygra. Those were the best.

After a while, it became easier to walk in the snow. Instead of taking big steps, he began to walk regularly. There has to be something or someone out here to help him.

He stopped.

There was someone here. He could feel the presence of someone watching him. Following him.

Thankful for the company, he turned around to greet the mysterious animal. But once he turned, his blood ran cold. His breath hitched. His heart felt like it skipped a beat.

Far out in the distance, roughly a hundred feet away, was a figure clad in black. Covered from head to toe in black, the figure stood there in the snow, wind blowing at the end of the fabric causing it to flow. It stood there with its arms wrapped around its stomach.

There was something about this animal that was off. Even though they were far apart, Lion-O could see that the figure was female. The cloak it was wearing way giveaway. It was the type of cloak that only a female would wear. He couldn't, however, tell what type of animal she was. The cloak hugged at its thin arms and body, so it might have been a cat. But why would a cat wear black boots and black gloves?

For a moment, Lion-O expected the cat to so something. But she just stood there. Like she was observing him.

Just the sight of this mysterious cat scared him. The way she stood there, in the freezing snow, calm, as if it didn't bother her.

She was trouble.

Lion-O quickly turned and increased his pace, wanting to get away from this cat as possible. Once he thought he got a good distance away from the cat, he turned his head to see if she was still there.

To his surprise, the cat was following him. Calmly walking after him.

Eyes widening, Lion-O nearly sprinted away from the cat in black. His foot caught on a loose root and nearly tripped. Gaining his footing, he immediately brushed off the near fall and continued onward. He has to get as far as possible away from this cat. Who knew what she would do to him if she caught up with him.

Lion-O had the notion that whoever this cat was, she wasn't going to ask him if he needed help, or if he wanted something to eat. She was after him for a different reason. A reason he didn't know. The idea that it was either Cheetara or Pumyra underneath the cloak was gone the moment he thought about it. If it was Cheetara, she would've easily caught up with him with her speed. And if it was Pumyra, she would have called out to him and ask. That was another thing he noticed. This cat didn't call out to him. Nor did she address who she was.

Finally, he turned and looked at the cat. She was still a good fifty feet away from him.

"Who are you!" he shouted.

The wind picked up. He had to raise his left arm to cover himself from the powdered snow drifting in the wind.

The cat was still walking, oblivious to the wind. Lion-O noticed that the fabric covering her head was beginning to come out. A face was barely visible through the fabric.

The wind picked up again. And finally, the fabric around the cat's head came off.

Only, it wasn't a cat. With the fabric no longer wrapped around her head, white hair blew against the wind. Blue eyes vivid through the powdered snow.

Echo.

Lion-O stood on his spot dumbfounded. His mouth open, wide eyes staring at the white haired human. Why is she here? How did she get here?

He should' have felt anger. She was a traitor. She betrayed him and the rest of the Thundercats. She sided with Mumm-Ra. Why was she here of all places. His hand went to his side, only to find the Sword of Omens not there. He was completely defenseless. While Echo had her telekinetic powers.

The wind stopped blowing. The only sound was of Echo stepping through the snow.

Lion-O watched her as she made her way. Her pace slowed down. Her eyes still on him.

Then she began running.

Quickly turning away, Lion-O began to run. He was near a forest and ran inside it. He maneuvered his way around the trees, careful not to run into one or trip on any exposed roots.

There was a sound of something falling. Still running, he looked back to see Echo sprawled on the ground. She must have tripped on an exposed root. What she did next nearly stopped him in his tracks. She began to take off her boots. After the last one was off, she began running again, barefoot.

By the looks of it, she was determined to get to him.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, Lion-O broke through the forest and before him was an ocean.

He stopped a few feet away from the shore. There was nowhere else to run. He couldn't run to his left or right. There would still be the ocean and nothing else. He couldn't go back the way he came. Echo was still here.

There was nothing he could do.

He heard the crunching of snow. Echo stood a few feet away from him.

He turned and faced her. He remembered the day he had first seen her. In the garden, he thought she was a Wood Forger. But not quite. She didn't have any fur on her. And her blue eyes, wide with curiosity were a bit big. She was unlike any animal he had ever seen.

And here she was before him. Staring deeply into his eyes.

He couldn't come up the words he wanted to say to her. But there was one word in particular that was on his mind.

Why?

The two had been through so much together. Looking back, Echo was probably Lion-O's only friend. He may have had the rest of the Thundercats, but they treated him more of a king than as a friend. Echo on the other hand had been more than that. She was his best friend.

Friend.

And he had nearly killed her. Hearing her scream when he pierced her in the stomach made his blood freeze. She was in pure agony. Blood gushing from her stomach. She had screamed.

And he had stabbed her.

_She loved me_. _Does she still love me? After everything I did to her… does she still… love me?_

Lion-O closed his eyes and collapsed on to his knees. Why was he acting like this? What reason was for him to be weak in front of Echo? Why should he feel sad for her if she betrayed them? Him.

He wanted his friend back. That was true. He had missed when they would watch the sun set on the balcony. He missed when they went on their almost daily walk in the slums. He missed the way she gave him hope when he started to doubt himself.

He missed her.

Echo took a few steps until she was above him. She kneeled down in front of him. Lion-O saw her take off her gloves.

She brought her hands to his cheeks. Her hands were soft, despite them looking calloused.

She brought their foreheads together. He could feel her breath against his fur.

Then she brought her lips against his check, planting soft kisses. Her hands moved towards the back of his neck, still kissing him on the cheek. She moved one of her hands towards his chin, lifted his head up and her lips met his.

The kiss was… it was…

It felt right somehow. When Pumyra kissed him, he felt like the luckiest cat in all of Third Earth. But kissing Echo was more. Her kiss was soft, savoring every moment of it. It was almost electrifying, putting a shock to his system. His body began to warm, as if a fire has been ignited inside of him.

He soon found himself kissing her back. Reaching an arm behind her back, he pulled her closer until their bodies pressed on one another.

The two didn't hadn't noticed that it began to snow.

He wanted the kiss to last forever. To be holding her forever. He wanted this moment in life to last forever.

Their lips parted. Their eyes stared at each other intensely. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his neck. He copied her, his arms around her small frame, his face against her soft pale skin.

And the two sat there. In their own winter wonderland.

* * *

Lion-O woke up with a gasp.

A small fire burned in a hearth inside a small hut he shared with Pumyra. Next to him, Pumyra slept peacefully, not stirred by Lion-O's movements.

He carefully got out of bed and sat down near the hearth.

He felt cold.

As if the dream was almost real.

But it wasn't. Never could he ever see himself with Echo. He loved Pumyra.

But the kiss…

He brushed his fingers against his mouth. The kiss felt real. He enjoyed every moment of it. Her lips against his, their bodies pressed to one another.

For a fraction of a second, he wished he was back in that winter wonderland with Echo. Them kissing.

He shook it head.

No.

No matter what he felt in that dream, the fact still remains that she is a traitor. She is with Mumm-Ra. She is the enemy.

Sighing, he went back to the bed and laid down on it. Staring up at the ceiling, he wondered how he would react if he saw her again. Will they try to kill each other? Or will it be like his dream, where they kiss in the snow.

He closed his eyes. Now's not the time to be thinking about that. He has to focus on finding the next stone.

Before he drifted off to sleep, he could feel Echo's lips against his.

He went to bed smiling.


	2. Blood Mirror

**Hey there everyone! I am back with another Giftfic! This will be the last chapter in this two chapter story. **

**For this Chapter, Blood Mirror, it was inspired by the songs Mirror and My Blood, both by Ellie Goulding.**

**WAR, if you're reading this, these two chapters are for you to enjoy!**

**This does contain spoilers and if by the time you are reading this and hadn't read Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes, I suggest you read it. Not only to avoid spoilers, but to love FotE/RootA and leave reviews.**

**I do not own the Thundercats, I do not own Erica/Echo, she belongs to WAR-Operative; and I do not own Mirror and My blood, both belong to Ellie Goulding.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

A mirror reflects on who the person really is.

That much Erica knew. In her room, there was only a bed, a dresser and a mirror. The mirror itself was a surprise. She had only expected just a bed and the dresser. Nothing more. Because really, she didn't have much of anything. Only the clothes Markata had given her.

During the six month she had been here at Markata's base, she had not once looked in the mirror. She knew what she had looked like. Long white hair, pale fair skin, and her blue eyes. There wasn't a need to look into the mirror.

But… she had a weird dream last night. She recalled chasing Lion-O through some sort of winter wonderland. And then… she kissed him. What was even more shocking was that he was kissing her back.

And she enjoyed it.

She woke with a gasp, trying to decipher what in the hell was that dream about. Why had she kissed him?

More importantly, why did he kiss her? Before, she would've been happy about kissing Lion-O. He cared for her like no one else had. When she stumbled into Thundera, with no memories, he was there to help. He was curious about the strange creature that had wandered into the kingdom. She remembered after Jaga had addressed her to King Claudus and leaving the throne room, Lion-O had catch up with her. He was trying to come up with a valid excuse for not talking to her more when they first met. He then gave her a tour of the castle.

In the six months of living in Thundera, living in the Palace, she began to develop feelings for him. He was different. He was special. He didn't treat her like some sort of freak of nature. Not even when they discovered she had telekinetic powers. He was still there for her.

He was indeed handsome. The shocking red mane and those piercing blue eyes. Not to mention how nice he was to her and so determined to do the right thing.

But why, in the dream, would he kiss her?

She wasn't ugly. But she didn't think of herself as drop dead beautiful.

So why did he do it.

She was sitting on her bed, staring at the floor. She had just gotten back from taking a shower. Her hair was already dry, and she was wearing solid black pajamas. This was the time when she went to bed. But something stopped her.

The dream was still bugging her. Or rather, the _kiss_ was bothering her. The only reason why two people kissed was because they were in love with each other. But Lion-O loved Pumyra. Not her. Being in love also meant that the two thought their significant other was handsome and beautiful.

Lion-O was handsome. She was…

She had to see. She stood up from her bed and went to the mirror.

She… she…

The mirror reflected her white hair, fair skin and blue eyes.

She tried to see herself. She tried to see who she really was. She inched closer to it. Her eyes showed the terror her head was full of. Terror of understanding her past and what Lion-O did to her. They were games she played. And she played well. She tried to clear her thoughts. But they were like a wild fire, spreading fast. No amount of water could douse them. Everywhere she went, she caused fires. Even if they weren't intentional. She tried to get nearer to who she was back then. Before she found out about herself. To when Lion-O was her friend. Where was that moment? Where is he?

Are they really meant to be star crossed lovers? It seemed stupid at first. It was obvious Lion-O was oblivious to her feelings, even though she didn't show them. Then he became infatuated with Pumyra. After that, things went downhill and all she wants now is to kill him and the rest of the Thundercats for what they have done. But does she really want any of them gone? Does she want Lion-O gone? She did her wish, kind of. To them, she is gone. Nothing but a memory that won't go away. She got what she wanted. They were gone to her. And she was fine with that. But if she did win, why did it come at a price? These thoughts were creeping inside of her head like demons, taunting her, replaying her memories. Where did they come from?

She was on fire. She is the human on fire. Like her thoughts, she too was a wild fire. Everywhere she went, she caused so many fires. On the Tower of Omens. On Avista, a city high in the sky only birds could get to. She was fire.

Glancing away from her reflection, she closed her eyes. Why of all times did she have to have these memories? It made so sense. She wants to kill them. Show them no mercy. Get retribution. That is what she wanted.

She looked back in the mirror and tried to understand herself. Tried to piece the thoughts together. She had to get rid of them. Wash them away, like washing blood away from her hands.

The day she arrived at Thundera to this day, she can't see where it ends. If she does kill them. If Lion-O succeeds in killing Markata and her as well.

If they kiss.

When she traveled with them, they knew who she was. The odd, yet helpful human with freaky mind powers. They knew her secrets. Secrets that got her exiled from them. Secrets that nearly got her killed.

She wasn't going to pretend to be that person again. That was then. This is now.

But Lion-O was still in her heart.

She blinked and in the mirror, the reflection changed. Instead of Erica Riley, who she was now, she was Echo.

_No._

The reflection smiled back at her.

_No._

The girl in the mirror wasn't her.

_No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No._

"NO!"

She reared back her arm and smashed the mirror with her fist.

Shards of glass fell to the floor. Some of it still clung to the mirror.

She was shaking. That wasn't her.

From what little glass there was left in the mirror, she could only see the left side of her face. Her eyes stared back. The reflection was back to her, Erica and not Echo.

It took Erica a few seconds to gain her composure. The shaking stopped. The feelings and memories went away. She was back to Erica Riley.

Her hand was warm.

She looked down at her right hand and saw that it was bleeding. This would've been the part where she would ask Cheetara to heal it and bandage it. She would've panicked.

But instead, she let the crimson red liquid flow from her wound. It dripped down her fingers and into the ground, covering some of the pieces of the mirror.

Erica didn't mind bleeding now. She has bleed everywhere she went. She had gotten used to the sight of it by now.

She wasn't dying. It was only a small wound, so it was nothing to worry about.

Whoever was watching out for her, some type of angel or mystical being, knows she's not dying but bleeding. And they knew it was the only way to heal.

She had bleed while traveling with the Thundercats. With Lion-O. It wasn't until Avista when Lion-O had stabbed her did her love for him drained with her blood. The feelings she knew were gone.

She flexed her and closed it in a tight fist. She's not dying but bleeding. And it's the only way the wound will heal.

It's how she will heal.

* * *

After a few minutes, she called Sunny to help her with the wounds. After they disinfected the cuts, Sunny wrapped her hand in white bandages. While doing so, he had asked her if she was alright, in his programed robot voice.

She replied yes. Nothing else.

When Sunny left, she went to the dresser and pulled open a drawer. On top of one of a combat suit, was a red silk ribbon.

The same ribbon Lion-O had gave her after he rescued her from the Duelist. Even after she left, she still kept it.

She tried to validate the reason why she kept it was because it was for tying her long white hair while she trained and so her hair wouldn't get tangled while she slept.

It was those two reasons alone. Nothing more.

But…

She tied the ribbon around her hair. It reminded her when Lion-O tied it. It wasn't exactly the best attempt at taming her hair, but he did well. Maybe one day he will tie it for her again.

Maybe.

But she knew it would never happen.

Once it was done, she went to lie down on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling, Erica wondered if she would dream about kissing Lion-O again. There were no words to describe how she felt when he kissed her back, when he pulled her closer to him. Happy. Joyful. Bliss.

Sighing, Erica closed her eyes.

Before she drifted off to sleep, she could feel Lion-O's lips against hers.

She went to bed smiling.


	3. Savages

**What's this!? Another giftfic even though I already said the previous one was the last? What is happening?**

**Hello there everyone, it's me Dark and I'm back! You're probably wondering why I posted another chapter to this. Originally, I was going to leave it at two. But I bought Marina and the Diamonds new album Froot and one of the songs, Savages, got stuck in my head. Even as I wrote I'll Follow You and Blood Mirror, this song slipped my mind until I started listening to is a while ago. And it gave me inspiration to write one last (and I do mean my last) giftfic for WAR-Operative's Fall Of The Empire/Rise Out Of The Ashes. **

**This goes out to WAR and all her other followers who have read and loved FOTE/ROOTA!**

**Just to make sure, FOTE/ROOTA belong to WAR-Operative. This chapter, as well as the previous two, are non-canon. They have no plot development in WAR's story. This is just a giftfic.**

**Savages belongs to Marina and the Diamonds. Her song was used for inspiration and I do not have any affiliation with her or her record company. I do not own the song.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Lion-O could hear the groans of pain coming from his fellow companions. They were sprawled out on the grassy terrain. With one lying face up in a babbling brook. Their bodies covered in fresh bruises. Black, blue and purple, like ink spilling on a napkin. It hurt just to move an inch. Just one tiny movement and it ended in moans.

Earlier, they had said bye to the Kit and Kat and went off to explore more of the land that was beyond Cat City. There was an abundance amount of trees with fruit, and a babbling brook with enough fresh water to last for who knows how long.

They hadn't expected to run into her.

Weapons ready, the Thundercats charged at her.

Tygra tried to whip at her, hoping to tie her up, but she moved out of the way and grabbed the end of the whip before it could retreat. Using her telekinesis, she pulled him towards her with an insane amount of force, and just before he reached her, she slammed him with another telekinetic blast that sent him air borne before landing on the ground. Hard.

Cheetara was next, becoming a yellow blur, staff reared back, ready to hit her. Before she could strike, her target disappeared. Cheetara stopped dead in her tracks, looking for where she went. Not only her, but the remaining cats were confused as well. One second she was there, the next she was gone.

"Heh heh heh heh."

The soft giggle surprised them. There she was, in the middle of their small formation, standing behind Lion-O and Pumyra and in front of Panthro. Wasting no time, Cheetara sprinted at her again, hoping not to miss her this time. But when she was about to hit her, she disappeared again.

This time, she was standing perfectly balanced on one of the rocks in the river. How did she move faster than Cheetara?

Growing agitated, Cheetara ran at her with all her might, with the intent on striking the girl.

Just before Cheetara reached the edge of the river, the girl disappeared again.

"I'll be taking that, thank you very much."

Her sudden voice surprised Cheetara. Her staff was gone from her hands in a second, and when she turned to face her, a foot connected to the side of her face, sending her slamming on the rocks in the river.

A shadowy figure was above her, ready to strike her down. Panthro, with his nun chucks ready, brought it down on her.

But he stopped. The end of his nun chuck was just about an inch away from her head. He was stuck frozen in mid-air. She looked up at him with a mischievous smile. Using enough force, she sent him against a tree, causing it to lean heavily against his weight, the under roots exposed.

Pumyra readied mini bow and sent several shots at her. They stopped directly in front of her, and she sent them back at an extreme speed. Pumyra managed to dodge, but before she could get back up, she felt something grab at her foot, dangling her upside down in the air. And she was tossed aside, tumbling and rolling on the ground, before coming to a stop face down.

All that was Lion-O. The two stood several yards away from each other. Automatically, synchronized, they both drew their swords. Lion-O with his Sword of Omens and her with her new sword.

"Just give up!" He called out to her.

She just smiled. "Now that wouldn't be fun. Would it?"

He ran up to her, his sword ready to strike. She quickly side stepped out of his way and kicked his sword out of his hands. Before he had time to register how to fight, he felt the blunt end of her sword hit him in the stomach. He staggered back, his hand on his stomach. He then felt a punch to his face, a kick to his thigh before finishing off with a spin kick to the head.

He was facing the sky, and if had been any other day, he would've enjoyed the clear blue sky. But hearing his fellow companions groan in pain, the sky was the least of his worries now.

He had to act fast. She had incapacitated them in barley under a minute. She had gotten powerful these last six months. Was is because of Mumm-Ra? It has to be. How else could she have acquired this kind of strength in power?

Lion-O didn't have time to register his thoughts as he began to float. Not only him but the rest of the other cats as well. He flailed in the air, trying to grab at the ground, but the grass was too short, and there was nothing else to grab onto.

He felt like a marionette, dangling in the air by invisible strings.

They were arranged side by side. Once up in the air, they looked down at their enemy.

Echo.

And she was smiling.

"Wow. Is this the best you all could do? This is pretty pathetic, even for you guys. Is this what the Thundercats have been reduced to?"

She earned a feral growl from Tygra.

"Go ahead and growl all you want you fur ball. You don't scare me."

"Just wait till I get my claws on you!" Tygra shouted.

"Don't give me empty threats. Besides, I'll snap your neck even before you move. Just like that." To emphasize, she snapped her fingers and nearby, a branch from a tree snapped in half with little to no effort.

"See? None of you are in any position to be threatening me. As a matter of fact, you all should fear me."

"That would be the last thing I ever do you traitor!" Pumyra spat.

"Trust me Pumyra, you and everyone else will know the true meaning of fear once I'm done with you all."

Lion-O couldn't fathom how Echo was acting. Not once in their travels had she ever acted like this, with cruel intentions.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked. "Echo, why act like this? You are better than that."

Echo let out a giggle. "Really? You, of all animals, are asking me about morals? It's kind of funny, hearing that from a lion who thinks he can do whatever he wants without consequence. News flash idiot, you are just as guilty as I am."

"That's not true! You betrayed us! You're the one who sided with Mumm-Ra!"

"Only because I had to. You gave me no choice."

"You had a choice! And you choose him!"

"Maybe. But I don't regret my decision now."

She lowered them until they were a few inches off the ground.

"You all have the nerve to call me a traitor. We all have sinned. Me. You all. Everyone. Murders and wars are forever. Humans and animals are always fighting. Whether it's against each other or not, it's survival of the fittest. It is human nature to fight and cause war. But it goes the same with you animals as well. It runs in our blood, our veins, our genes, and our DNA. We live and we die. Humans steal, kill, and lie. Kind of like animals. But we just do it with more with flawless grace. Because face it, underneath it all, we're just savages. Hidden behind shirts, armor, ties, and marriages. Humans and animals are savages. Me and you all, we're much alike in so many ways."

Her speech rendered them silent. In a way, she was true. With her being human nature, its animals who have their own natures. Or instinct.

But Lion-O refused to be compared to her. He was nothing like her.

"The second I'm done with Mumm-Ra, you're next! I guarantee it."

"Like I said, it's pointless to give me empty threats. But if you are serious, I won't hesitate to strike you all down."

As if being pushed from behind, Lion-O went straight to Echo. He stopped just a few inches away from her face.

She gave him a small smile and leaned into him.

"And just so you know, I could've killed you right here on the spot. But that wouldn't be fun. Next time, I won't hesitate to kill you. No matter where we meet, I'll kill you. Even if it's in our own little winter wonderland."

Lion-O's eyes widened. Winter wonderland? How does she know about his dream? Unless…

He didn't have time to finish his thought before she sent him and the cats onto the grassy ground with great force.

This time, they rolled in the air and landed on the ground on their feet, ready to fight.

But she was gone.

"Don't forget," her voice echoed throughout the area. "We're just savages."

* * *

Hours later, back in Cat City, with the tree moons hanging above the night sky, Pumyra tended to Lion-O's wounds in their shared hut. Cheetara used some of her cleric magic to heal them, but the bruises were still there. Echo really did a number on them.

"Don't worry," Pumyra said as she spread a salve against the bruise on Lion-O's face. "We'll make sure we kill her first."

Lion-O said nothing. He was still confused as to how she knew about his winter wonderland dream. They haven't seen each other in six months. How could she know what he was dreaming about? Even to this day, Echo still remains a mystery to him.

"Yeah." He relied. He didn't have much else to say in the matter.

Pumyra stood up. "You should get some rest. I have to get some more salve for Panthro. I'll be back in a bit."

As she left, he lied down in his makeshift cot. The only sound he heard was the crackling of the small fire in their hut.

Today has been an eventful day. Not only had they run into Echo, she single handedly defeated them. Her words still echoed in his mind. "_Underneath it all, we're just savages."_

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He needed to recuperate if he was to lead a shanty town full of different species of animals. Like he was even doing a good job at. Half of the times the meetings usually end in arguments with little to no resolve. They all had different ideals. And depending on how they acted upon it, might bring chaos.

Maybe Echo was right.

They were all savages.


	4. Water

**_...hello there again. If you are reading this, then that means I have decided to post a new chapter to Remnants. Which also means I will be continuing the one shots. I know I said I would stop at Savages, but I've been inspired to write more. So instead of saying, "This will be my last story," I will continue until I feel like I have completed the story of Remnants. Which also means more chapters! WOOHOO!_**

**_This story is based on Dead in the Water by Ellie Goulding. Listen to the songs and read the lyrics. Trust me on this one._**

**_I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative._**

**_Dead in the Water belongs to Ellie Goulding. I have no affiliation with her or her record company._**

**_Enjoy! _**

* * *

_Though her eyes were closed, Erica could feel that she was floating._

_Not floating in the air. But floating in water._

_She slowly opened her eyes. Above her, the clouds were a murky grey. No sunlight pierced through the clouds. She didn't even know where the sun was positioned._

_She turned her attention back to the water. She was in a dead man's float position. The fabric of her black pajamas clung to her like a second skin. _

_She was supposed to be in her room at the Black Pyramid. Sleeping until dawn so she could hone in on her powers._

_But here she was, in the middle of nowhere, lazily floating in an endless sea._

_It then hit her. She was in water._

_She remembered when she and the Thundercats faced the Ramlak. The sand sea that threaten to drown her. She was scared of the demons that lived in there. The water was a dangerous place._

_But oddly, she wasn't afraid._

_After what happened in the last six months, her fear of water dissipated. Along with most of her feelings when she became Erica Riley. _

_That day, she cut off her ties with the Thundercats, and pretty much all of animal kind. She was no longer that meek girl._

_Sighing, she brought up her hand up to her stomach, lifting the fabric to feel the scar._

_It was still there. Same as always._

_A reminder of the past. A reminder that even the kindest of people could do the cruelest of things._

_She kind of wished it wouldn't have been true with Lion-O. Did she enjoy her time with him and the other cats? Yes. Especially Kit and Kat. But those days are over. They were no longer friends. Instead, they are now her enemies. And she would kill them no matter what. But she would spare the Wily Twins. They didn't do anything bad to her. She softly laughed as she remembered how they didn't think of her as a traitor. To them, she was still their friend._

_Deciding she had enough of floating on her back, she allowed herself to submerge for a second before resurfacing. And just as she thought, she was in an endless ocean. All around her, she didn't see any form of land, nor was there any boats._

_How did she end up here? More specifically, why was she in the ocean? She would rather much be on dry land. It didn't matter which land she was on, just so long as she was out of the water fast before she loses her energy and drowns._

_Erica tried not to panic. If she did, she would make the situation worse. _

_The water shook violently for a moment._

_She turned around quickly. Not too far, was a small formation of land. It was spread across the horizon. Was this a part of Third Earth that wasn't explored? _

_She began to swim._

_As she did, she saw a figure standing near the water. As she got close, the figure began to focus. Whoever this person…or animal was, clearly saw her, but didn't do anything but observe._

_Then, she stopped dead in her tracks._

_There, on that strip of land, was Lion-O_

_Her eyes widened. Why was he here?_

_She was there in the water, still looking at him. Can't he see her? Or is he choosing to ignore her?_

_Above her, the sky grew darker until the clouds were nearly black in color. _

_Not only that, but she was being pushed away from the land. _

_And her fear of water came back to her in that moment._

NO!_ She thought._

_She fought her way to swim to the land, to Lion-O._

_But it was to no avail. Lion-O and the land grew smaller with every second. _

"Lion-O! HELP! PLEASE!"

_She yelled as loudly as she could over the sound of the ocean. But his face remained deadpan._

"HELP! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!"

_But he didn't respond. Instead, he turned around and walked away._

"NO! PLEASE!"

_She tried to stay afloat, but her energy was running out. She found herself gasping for air as she slowly began to sink. With her remaining strength, she surfaced. On the strip of land, Lion-O was gone._

"PLEASE!"

_The water began to pull her under._

* * *

In the training room, Erica sliced away the head of a practice dummy with her sword. The head tumbled to her feet. She kicked it away. She focused on the next dummy. Sword in hand, she kept her stance as she glared at the dummy.

It was roughly before dawn when she woke up. Again, she had another dream about Lion-O. Only this time, instead of them kissing, he left her to drown.

It shouldn't have bothered her. Really, it shouldn't. It was just a dream after all.

But…

_He left me there, dead_.

Gritting her teeth, she saw his deadpan face on the dummy.

_He wouldn't let anyone drown. Not even me. _

Lion-O always helped someone who was in danger, no matter if he was risking his own life.

He wouldn't have let her drown.

…_would he?_

She knew the answer.

And in response, she let the sword fall to the ground and picked up the dummy with her mind.

She ripped snapped the arms and legs, ripping the limbs away from the dummy. And without hesitation, she ripped off the head. It tumbled towards her feet.

Erica could still see the deadpan face Lion-O wore.

Anger flared through her eyes. She then began to stomp on the head. Over and over, she stomped on the decapitated head until the face was completely caved in.

She was breathing heavily, the anger slowly dissipating.

"Quite the damage you did there soldier."

The voice of Markata surprised her. She turned and saw him standing a few feet away from her with his hands behind his back. He was in his human form. It's been a while since she saw him as Mumm-Ra. But she preferred the familiar form of Markata.

Erica looked down at the dummy head. Her breathing evened, and the anger was completely gone.

She felt Markata's hand was on her shoulder. "Remember Erica, they are the enemy. The next time you face them, it will end in their deaths. They mean nothing to you now. Same goes for you. You placed your trust in them and look what happened. No longer will you hold back. This time, you will kill."

She smiled.

It was true what he said. She meant nothing to them.

After all, Lion-O left her there…

Dead in the water.


	5. Illusion

**Hey everyone! Dark here with a new chapter. I won't have much to say other than to enjoy the chapter and some disclaimers.**

**This chapter was inspired by the song Yours Again by Red.**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative**

**Yours Again belongs to Red and I do not have any affiliation with them or their record company.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"I never knew a place like this existed."

Lion-O palmed the black bark of one of the many trees.

Behind him, Cheetara and Pumyra were mesmerized by the red leaves that covered the ground. Both Kit and Kat raced up one tree, disappearing in the foliage of red leaves. Lion-O could hear their laughs resonate throughout the forest. Tygra and Panthro, on the other hand, walked ahead, carefully observing the area.

"This place looks magical," said Pumyra. She kneeled down and picked up a leaf. It was roughly the size of her paw and was smooth. A breeze blew by, carrying the leaf away, along with many others as well.

"There is a lot of places we have yet to find on Third Earth," Cheetara said. "And I'm guessing this is one of those places."

"I wonder why we never found it?" pondered Lion-O.

Of the times they took the Feliner out for a test drive, he never seen a forest of red leaves before. He had seen the Dog City, the Enchanted Forest, the Elephant Village, and the Fishman Oasis. But never had he seen a red forest. You'd think a place like this would stick out like a sore thumb. And it did.

When the group did their weekly test run on the Feliner, they had spotted the red forest. One day it wasn't here, the next, it was.

Landing on a clear area of the forest, they had decided to explore more of this new mysterious place.

"Let's stay nearby," Lion-O declared. "We don't know this place yet, it could be dangerous. Kit, Kat, stay close by us."

In response both Wily Twins jumped down from the tree they were in, landing on a pile of leaves.

"This is so much fun," Kit said in glee.

Lion-O smiled at the two having fun. And, while this place was mysterious, it did brighten his mood. Maybe it was the leaves?

He helped pull Kit and Kat from the now crushed leaves. "All right you two, you can have more fun later. Right now, we have to try and map out this forest. We never know if we need to come back here."

Nodding, the twins caught up with Panthro. It was obvious now that he was their new babysitter. Especially since…

Lion-O shook his head. He didn't need to think about that.

"I'd say we split into teams and look around," said Tygra.

Panthro nodded. "Agreed."

"Panthro," Lion-O said. "You and the twins go to the east. Tygra, Cheetara and Pumyra, you guys check the north. I'll go west."

"You sure about that?" Pumyra asked.

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for anything unusual. There doesn't seem to be much but trees. I'll be fine. I promise."

And with that, they went their ways.

With each step he took, the leaves crunched under his feet. He had to agree with what Pumyra had said earlier. This place was almost magical. Beautiful even. If he wasn't in such a rush to be finding the stones, he would've stopped, sat down and relaxed for a moment.

But with his life, there was no time for and relaxation. What with what happened in Avista and ruling a shanty town, he had a lot on his plate. He was going to need to put in a lot of hard work in being a king. He knew it wouldn't be easy. But then again, he never expected Mumm-Ra to destroy Thundera. No one saw it coming.

Well…except for her.

He ears perked up as he heard something. Standing still, he looked around him. This time, he heard the same noise again. It was the sound of leaves being crushed, as if someone was walking on them.

"Pumyra? You out there?"

No one responded, only the sound of leaves being crushed.

He listened carefully, and determined where the noise was coming from. He slowly crept up to the noise, trying not to make as much noise. With so many trees around, it was hard to tell where this stranger was.

Finally, he saw what was making the noise, and his heart practically skipped a beat.

In a small clearing, he could see _her. _Her back was towards him, arms hugging herself. Dirty bandages covered most of her body. He could see scars peeking out from some of the bandages. Her white hair was disheveled.

Without thinking, Lion-O took a step forward, crunching more leaves.

She let out a sharp gasp and turned towards him. Those same blue eyes looked at him. Only this time instead of rage and madness, they were full of fear. She also began to shake, as if she were freezing.

Lion-O almost drew his sword. He was more than ready to battle her if needed. But he noticed she didn't have her sword with her. No weapons. Except for her telekinesis.

He should've been angry. After what she did, he had no reason to sympathize for her.

But the way she was now at this moment, scared, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. No one should be like this. Scared to death. Covered in so many scars.

Was this how she looked like when she first came to Thundera?

"Hey," he said gently.

Echo responded by taking another step back.

"D-d-don't," she said. "P-please. Don't."

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Y-you're o-one of them. You…"

One of what?

Lion-O took a step forward, with both of his hands raised gently. "It's okay. Look. I'm not going to hurt you. Trust me."

Echo didn't take a step back. Instead, she stood there, still shaking. Her head down, staring at the ground.

Lion-O took a few more steps until he was a few inches away from her.

"Echo."

She looked up at him. She was breathing rapidly now. He could feel her breathing, like she was whispering in his ear.

"N-n-not my name."

"What?"

"That's not m-my n-name."

He reached out to touch her shoulder. She quickly swatted his paw away.

"NO!"

She took off, going deeper into the forest.

"Wait! Echo!"

He ran after her. She was nothing but a white blur against the black and red.

Just as when he was about to catch up with her, she was gone.

Spinning around to find her, Lion-O was completely confused as to what he saw.

Was that really Echo? And if it was, why was she here? But the bigger question was, is she still here?

He got his answer when he heard more leaves being crunched. Without hesitating, he ran to the sound.

And there she was, in another small clearing. But this time, instead of wearing nothing but bandaged and the scars she had, she was wearing clothes. They were blue in color, and she had on a red pendant. She didn't seem scared this time, but she had her right hand on her left arm, and looking down at the ground again.

Lion-O was taken aback by her new appearance. Then he remembered. Those were the same clothes she wore when she met his father in the throne room.

_Maybe…_

He straightened up and tried to look friendly. If this was Echo from the time she was in Thundera, maybe she'll still be the same girl he always knew.

"Hey there," he called out. She looked up with wide doe eyes. This time, they were filled with curiosity, not fear.

This was good.

Echo didn't speak. She just observed him as he was coming closer to her. Once in front of her, Lion-O tried his best to come up with what to say. What _could_ he say? After all, she betrayed them. And even if this Echo was an illusion, the real one was still out there. Probably plotting on how to kill them. But with this Echo – illusion Echo – maybe he could try and be friendly towards her. She hasn't done anything to harm him. Yet.

It couldn't hurt to try.

"Are you alright?" Lion-O asked.

Illusion Echo looked right at his eyes, then slowly nodded.

"That's good."

…silence.

_This is going to be harder than I thought._

"…Echo?"

"That's not my name," she responded.

"Do you remember your real name?"

She opened her mouth, but closed it. Her mouth shifted into a frown a wet gleam appeared in her eyes. Lion-O quickly tried to come up with a solution to cheer her up.

"Don't cry. It's alright if you can't remember. I'm sure you'll find out eventually."

"You think so?"

"Sure. Maybe it will bring some closure to you."

For a few seconds, she just stared at him. Then her lips tugged at the corners into a small smile.

"Thank you."

Then she took off again.

Instead of calling out to her, Lion-O followed her.

And just like before, she disappeared.

He shook his head. He shouldn't be wasting his time chasing an illusion. Especially _who_ this illusion was.

Not a few seconds went by before he heard the same sound of crunching leaves again.

He caught up to the noise and stopped dead.

She was on her knees, her hands gripping her stomach. She didn't look up at Lion-O as she approached.

Once he got up close, he realized why she was holding her hands to her stomach so tightly. Blood was seeping from a gash in her stomach.

A gash that could only be done by a sword. His sword.

Once he was close enough, she looked up at him. And her eyes were filled with complete rage.

"Why?"

Lion-O stood there, frozen.

"Why," she repeated

She stood, still gripping her stomach.

"Why would you do this to me!? WHY!? WHY!? WHY!? WHY LION-O!? YOU WERE MY FRIEND! WHY!? I WANT TO BE YOURS AGAIN!"

She didn't let him get a chance to respond. "I HATE YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"

This time, the illusion began to fade away until she was gone.

* * *

Surprisingly, he was the first one back to the Feliner. The others must still be looking around. After his encounter with illusion Echo, he wasn't much in the mood to be mapping out the area. In fact, he wanted the others to come back quickly so they could get out of this place.

Sighing, he leaned back against the Feliner, staring up at the clear blue sky. After today, he wanted nothing more than to be alone.

_Was that really her?_

"Lion-O!"

Tygra stepped into view. As did the rest of the gang.

"This place is a maze," Panthro said. "You could get lost here for days. It's a good thing we found our way back here."

"It seems this might be an enchanted place," chirped Cheetara. "Clearly we never saw it before. Maybe the leaves change color because of some magic, and not from seasonal change."

Lion-O tried his best not to sound agitated from what he saw.

"Well whatever this place is, it got us nowhere. It's probably just another forest. We shouldn't be wasting our time here anymore. Let's go back."

They all went inside were soon back in the air.

"What do we call this place?" Kat was looking down at the red forest from the window.

…

"The Mirage Forest." Lion-O said.


	6. Twice

**Hey guys! Dark here with a new chapter!**

**This is probably one of my favorite chapter (Savages will be my all time favorite because such an amazing song) I have written. This was actually inspired by the book trailer for In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken. Her trilogy, The Darkest Minds, is one of my all time favorite series. I have yet to read the third one, but I will get to it eventually. That is a series I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend. Not to mention the prologue to In the Afterlight reminds me of to Erica. And the song that helped inspire this chapter is Twice by Little Dragon (which was also in the book trailer).**

**And to The Night Whisperer, the next chapter will be The Beast, I guarantee it. :D**

**Also, side note, be sure to check out my new story I'm currently writing, Silver Knight. Disclaimer: Silver Knight is a fan fic of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I recommend reading the book from a library (some people loved it, others didn't love it) so you can get caught up in why Red Queen was one of the most anticipated book of 2015 (debut at #1 on NYT Bestseller list).**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. They belong to WAR-Operative.**

**In the Afterlight belongs to Alexandra Bracken nor do I have any rights to the book trailer. **

**Twice belongs to Little Dragon and I have no affiliations to them or their record company.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Black is the color that is no color at all._

_Black is the color of a child's still, empty bedroom. The heaviest hour of the night – the one that traps you in your bunk, suffocating in another nightmare, it is a uniform stretched over the broad shoulders of an angry young man. Black is the mud, the lidless eye watching your every breath, the low vibrations of the fence that stretches up to tear at the sky._

_It is a road. A forgotten night sky broken up by faded stars._

_It is the barrel of a new gun, leveled at your heart…_

_Black is a promise of tomorrow, bled dry from lies and hate,_

_Betrayal._

_I see it in the face of a broken compass, feel it in the numbing grip of grief._

_I run, but it is my shadow. Chasing, devouring, polluting. It is the button that should never have been pushed, the door that shouldn't have been opened, the dried blood that couldn't be washed away. It is the charred remains of buildings. The car hidden in the forest, waiting. It is the smoke._

_It is the fire._

_The spark._

_Black is the color of memory._

_It is our color._

_The only one they'll use to tell our story._

_-In the Afterlight, Alexandra Bracken._

* * *

Numb.

That was how Erica felt right now.

She walked along a dirt road that was in a forest. The trees were a great distance away from the road, allowing the sky to be seen. The stars in the black night shining brightly, the three moons watching her. Back then, when she was in Thundera, she would climb up to one of the roofs with Lion-O and watched the night sky in silence. Now, though, she didn't care to look up at the night sky.

Trudging along the road, Erica glanced down. Her uniform was covered in dried blood and had been scratched at. Her arms barring new scars, the scratches now tattooed into her arms. Hanging from one of her hands, her sword was dragged along the road. Like her uniform, the blood on her sword was dry.

She was taking short breaths. Her body completely sore, her muscles crying out in pain with each step she took, her bones aching. But she ignored the pain. She didn't even acknowledged the pain.

She was numb.

Why did have to come to this? She never asked for any of this to happen. She often wondered why she was dragged into this mess, this war. A war between her and her former friends. None of this shouldn't have happened. But why did it? Was it fate that she stumbled into Thundera with no memory? If so, why did it end with her being the enemy? She didn't regret being the enemy. They were the one who betrayed her. Not only that, but the other animals were responsible for the genocide of humans. She, along with Markata – whenever he transformed into his human form – were the only ones left. She would avenge not only herself, but for those who have died from the war she hardly remembers.

And now she was in a new war.

Dropping her sword, she took a few more steps before she collapsed on her knees and wend down face first into the dirt. With what little remained of her strength, she pushed herself until she was on her back, facing up at the sky. Her breathing has evened out.

Did it really have to come to this? Did any of this have to have happened? She never really questioned any of this before. But here she was, lying on a dirt road, covered in blood and sore to the point of immobility.

Looking at the tree moons, her mind went to a particular memory of a night when she and Lion-O went to the rooftop of the palace and watched the sky. In this memory, the two observed the sky in silence. Then, out of nowhere, she said to Lion-O, "Thanks for being my friend."

He replied with a smile, a pat on her shoulder and said, "No problem." And the resumed watching the night sky.

Twice. She turned their back on them twice. When they first accused her of being a traitor, and when she sided with Markata at Avista. In a way, when she question why she was in this mess, it was because she agreed to be with Markata and she vowed to kill Lion-O.

Kill.

She never imagined in her life that she would be the one to kill him. Markata surely wanted to deal the final blow to him. But she will be the one to bring her sword down on him. He did try and kill her. She would repay the favor and kill him.

But for now, she closed her eyes and slept.

Twice.

Twice.

Twice she turned their back on them.

It will be the last time she ever does that.


	7. The Beast

**Hey guys! Well this was quicker than expected. I am officially done with the spring semester. WOOHOO! **

**Now that I have some free time, I will probably be updating more frequently. **

**This chapter was inspired from the song, The Beast by Imogen Heap. (One of my favorite music artists. You have to check out her work, she is AMAZING 3)**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**The Beast belongs to Imogen Heap and I do not have any affiliations with her or her record company.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Being a King was something Lion-O never imagined to be, especially this young. He figured that his father would live for several more years before passing the throne to him. But fate decided to take a different route and now Lion-O is somewhat of a King. Although, being King of a shanty town with animals who always disagree with each other wasn't what he was expecting. If Thundera was still standing, he would be King of not only Thundera, but King of cats overall.

This was something he wanted, yet didn't want.

Did he want to lead a group to find the next stone and fight Mumm-Ra? Yes.

Did he ever wanted to be King at all? Maybe.

_Why does this have to be so hard?_

He was sitting inside the cargo hold of the Feliner. After a meeting which turned into Lion-O trying to dispute an argument between the birds and the dogs, he wanted to be alone to ponder.

The day itself was miserable. An unexpected storm drifted in, covering the sky in a grey blanket of clouds. He could hear the rain pounding against the Feliner. And occasionally, he could hear thunder.

He sighed and leaned his head against one of the walls and looked up at the ceiling.

_Someday this turned out to be._

The door to cargo room opened. Lion-O straightened up and saw Pumyra sticking her head in. When she laid eyes on him, she smiled and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey yourself," Lion-O replied.

And just like that, his mood brightened a bit.

What was it about Pumyra that seemed to make him feel better? Was it her smile? The way her calloused hands were soft to the touch? Was it her determination to be by his side? He didn't know. And he didn't mind.

She sat next to him and lean against him, her head on his shoulder. She was slightly wet from the rain.

"What are you doing here alone?"

Lion-O patted her knee. "Just needed some alone time. Figured I try and get my head together before I go back outside."

"Then you might be in here for a while. It doesn't seem like the rain is going to let up anytime soon. Cheetara said that it might last until nighttime. It might even go on to the next day."

"Well at least everyone here has a roof over their heads. The last thing I need is a complaint about there not being enough room for more shacks."

"They're giving you trouble?"

"Not as much…" Which was true. Despite the constant arguing between some of the animals, they didn't entirely distrust him. There were some animals who were apprehensive about him being King, but other than that, no one has given him trouble.

"Don't let them get to you," Pumyra said. "You have to keep your head up high. They will see you as a King when you lead them to victory."

The corner of Lion-O's mouth tugged into a small smile. She had faith in him. Not only her, but so did the rest of the Thundercats, even some of the other animals.

In the darkness, there is light.

"Thanks for having faith in me."

Pumyra lifted her head from his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek.

The two sat together in silence. Enjoying the little free time they had together.

"_Well isn't this a cute scene."_

Sitting across from them, was a faded figure of Echo. _"You two kind of make a cute couple when Pumyra isn't being a bipolar schizo."_

Lion-O was too stunned to even move, let alone be scared. He knew it was just a figment of his imagination. She was basically his only friend. Why else would he be seeing her?

"_I wonder what kind of queen Pumyra will be? Considering how rough she is around the edges, she could be a Red Queen. If you know what I mean by 'red'. After all, you lot are nothing but animals. Savages."_

"Lion-O?"

Lion-O shifted his gaze back to a confused Pumyra, then back again to Echo, but she was already gone.

"Lion-O," Pumyra said. "What's wrong?"

"Do you really think we're savages?"

Immediately, Pumyra's smile turned into a frown.

"Don't listen to what she said. She's just trying to mess with your head."

"But what she said is true." He stood up and walked to where Echo was. "I have to make sure not to act on impulse. After what I did to her in Avista, I don't want that to happen again. I was fueled by rage when I skewered her. I don't want anger to be my only driving force."

"You and I know she's a traitor. She is going to kill us if we don't kill her. You saw what she did to us near that small river. If she was going easy on us, then there's no way we'll be ready for her if she is going to give it her all. She _has_ to die Lion-O."

"Is that the only answer? More death?"

He still remembered when she screamed when he stabbed her. He remembered that smile filled with rage as Mumm-Ra lifted her away. He could still see her.

"_Not everyone has to die. You know that right?"_ Ghost Echo stood next to him. But before he could turn to see her, she was gone.

He looked down at his hands. Did he really meant to kill her in Avista?

Was he turning into…?

A beast?

* * *

Erica looked down at the lizard before her. Its body badly mangled. A piece of bone was sticking out from its leg. The rest of its bones were either broken or completely shattered. But the internal damage to his bones didn't kill the lizard. It was quick snap of the neck that ended its life.

She had done this to it.

This lizard shouldn't have hit Sunny to begin with. The little Berbil was hiding behind her legs. Part of his robotic claw was broken. Earlier, Sunny was fixing up a weapon for Erica when a lizard got the bright idea of messing with it. Sunny has faced a lot of hostility from the lizards. But those who dared lay so much as a finger on him would fell the wrath of Erica. This wasn't the first lizard she killed, though. There have been countless times when a lizard took a step too far and they paid the price for aggravating Erica.

This lizard before them brought the blunt end of his gun down on Sunny's paw. The lizard didn't even have time to react as he was lifted in the air. His bone began to break. He cried out in pain before Erica snapped his neck.

"Ro-E okay?" Sunny asked.

Erica looked down at him. "I'm fine."

She then picked him up and went to the repair room. As she walked, several lizards immediately moved out of her way, not wanting to join their fallen lizard.

Once inside the repair room, Erica set Sunny down on a table and searched inside a tool box, picking up several electronic tools.

When she had everything, she went to work on repairing Sunny's paw. She got the gist of how to fix some technology. Not as much as Sunny, but some of it.

As she detached his paw, her thoughts went back to the dead lizard.

He was asking for it when he hurt Sunny. Erica made it clear that no one, not even Markata, was to touch Sunny. At all.

Those who did ended up dead.

Dead.

It was amazing to her how desensitized she was when it came to killing.

Like it was second nature to her.

She did swore vengeance against Lion-O and the Thundercats. If it involved killing them, so be it.

It was their fault. Not hers. They have some serious bad karma coming their way.

After a few minutes, the paw was finally fixed and she reattached it back onto Sunny. Sunny, in response, flexed his robotic fingers, making sure each one was in stable condition.

Erica left Sunny on the table and went for the door. As soon as the door automatically opened, she felt a tug on her pants. Looking down, Sunny had its arms extended to her. He wants to be picked up.

…

…

…

…

Erica bent down and picked up Sunny. Sunny wrapped his hands around her and snuggled his head into her neck.

For a moment, Erica nearly smiled. It was the only smile that wasn't from rage.

But the near smile quickly went away and she walked to her room.

Did she have some sort of ounce of humanity in that smile? It did feel good to have Sunny with her at times. Usually, she just ignores him. But today, something changed.

But it didn't change her.

She was still a beast.


	8. Beating Hearts

**Wow. This chapter is a long one. At least in my opinion. Over 3k words. Damn.**

**Not only was this the longest chapter of Remnants, this took me a while to write. I wanted to get everything right with this chapter.**

**What inspired me for this chapter was the Divergent trilogy and Beating Hearts. For those who haven't read the Divergent trilogy, I recommend you read the synopsis online or go and rent the trilogy from the library. It's mot my all time favorite trilogy, but I did enjoy it. The first one was good. The second one was okay. The third one... some things are better left unsaid. But the testing and simulation are what inspired Beating Hearts. As well as the song Beating Heart and the music video to it.**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**The Divergent trilogy belongs to Veronica Roth.**

**The song belongs to Ellie Goulding. I do no have any affiliations with her, her record company, nor her music video. They were used as inspiration for the chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"You wanted to see me?"

Erica stepped inside an unfamiliar room. It was well lit with fluorescent lighting and the wall themselves were mirrors.

In the center of the room, Markata stood next to a chair that looked like it was made for an examination. Next to the chair was a table with a monitor on it. Connected to the monitor, were electrodes. On another table, was a small bottle filled with some type of teal liquid.

"Good. You're here." Markata stepped away from the chair and went to one of the mirrored walls and pushed a button. A long thin rectangular part of the ceiling opened and a large screen slowly came down. The lights dimmed down.

"I hope you don't mind a little history lesson."

He pulled a remote from his pocket, pointed it towards the screen and pushed a button.

On the screen, there was a picture from an aerial view of a city that had seen better days. Most of it was deserted, the buildings looking like it might collapse at any minute. While others were in fair shape.

The only thing that stood out was a very large Ferris wheel.

"Thousands of years ago," Markata said. "Before animals were the dominating species, Third Earth was known as Earth. And it was humans who were the dominating species. However, we humans can be very fickle. War is in our blood, no matter the age or gender. And because of that, most of Earth was in ruins from war. This particular city that you see is called Chicago. About a hundred years after a war, Chicago had created some sort of utopian society and fenced itself in from the outside world. The civilians of the city were then split up into five factions. These factions include…"

Markata clicked a button and the picture of Chicago was replaced with a picture of two hands holding on to one another.

"Abnegation: The Selfless."

_Click_.

The picture was replaced with one of an eye.

"Erudite: The Intelligent."

_Click_.

The next picture was a fire.

"Dauntless: The Brave."

_Click._

The next one was a tree.

"Amity: The Peaceful."

_Click._

A scale that was even in weight.

"And finally Candor: The Honest."

_Click_.

The next picture was all of the insignias lined up.

"The factions were created as a way to keep the civilians under control. A sort of totalitarian government, if you will. Keep in mind that one does not choose a faction. In order to be in a faction, one has to undergo an aptitude test."

"An aptitude test?" questioned Erica. "They take a test that will help them decide what job they are destined for?"

"Not necessarily. Watch."

_Click._

On the screen, a video played out of a young girl sitting in the same examination chair Erica had seen. A woman was attaching electrodes to the girl's head. The woman then grabbed a small cup with the same teal liquid and gave it to the girl. The girl downed it on one gulp and after setting it on a table near her, the girl relaxed in the chair and closed her eyes. A monitor next to the chair beeped and a bright pink line suddenly arched into waves.

Markata flashed forward a bit until the girl woke up and the woman removed the electrodes.

"Congratulations," the woman said. "You're Amity."

The video ended and it faded into black.

"Once a person reaches sixteen," Markata continued. "They have to undergo and aptitude test in order to see which faction they belong in. If I'm being honest, and please forgive my language, but the testing is just a bunch of crap. As I said earlier, humans are fickle. We adapt into our environment and if we are thrown into a new one, we adapt. Constantly, we change. One minute you might be Amity, the next you'll be Dauntless. After all, Lion-O is a perfect example.

"Before the fall of Thundera, he would shirk his responsibilities and instead, focus his attention on technology. Then after his father died and Thundera fell, he changed. Gone was the free spirited lion he was. Now, he is solely bent on eliminating me and leading the other animals to victory. But along the way, he made some mistakes. And in those mistakes, he changed. Especially in Avista. Lion-O is a perfect example of how we change. Granted, he isn't human, but it's the same concept."

Erica glanced at the chair then back at Markata. "So why am I here? Are you going to tell me which faction I'm in?"

Markata shook his head. "No lieutenant. I have no interest in knowing what faction you belong in. Besides, the faction and the government were overthrown by a rebellion group. They managed to get rid of the testing. However, they lost an important person in the process. She will be remembered in their hearts. But that was a long time ago. Now that we are the only humans left, she isn't important to us anymore."

"How do you even know this stuff? If this happened thousands of years ago, how were you able to recreate the testing?"

"Believe it or not, what happened in that city was recorded in a memory chip and was buried deep underground in a box. I spent many years tracking it down. But I was able to find it."

"That still doesn't explain why I'm here?"

"Simple lieutenant, you are going to do what the girl on the video did."

Before she could speak, Markata spoke. "Let me explain how the testing works. The serum you will drink induces the user in a sort of hallucinogenic dream. That is known as a simulation. You will be aware that it is a simulation so you don't have to worry. I will be monitoring your brainwave activity while you are in the simulation."

"And you're doing this because?"

"Simple. The simulation is a product of your dreams, desires, and memories. You will have to face these thoughts. These thoughts can hinder your ability to think. Which is why I will be observing your brainwaves. There will be at times when you come across an obstacle and depending on what it is, it will affect your train of thoughts. This is more of an exercise instead of a test."

He then gestured with his hand toward the chair,

Erica stepped towards the chair and sat in it. Markata then placed the electrodes to her head. She counted a total of seventeen.

Markata grabbed the serum and held it out to her. She took it and smelled it. The serum didn't have a definite scent. She took a deep breath and downed the serum in one gulp.

She closed her eyes, waiting to see what will wait.

…nothing happened. She didn't sleep nor did she begin to dream.

_Guess it didn't work._

She opened her eyes and her heart nearly skipped a beat.

She was no longer in the mirrored room. Instead, she was standing in pitch black darkness. She quickly looked down at herself, expecting not to see her body. Strangely, she could see her uniform and hands and feet. It was as if there was light in this room, but the darkness stretched out forever.

"Hello?" Erica called out. Her voice echoed throughout the vast darkness.

She began to walk. The sound of her footsteps bouncing off walls that don't seem to be there.

After a few minutes of walking, she stopped.

This was getting her nowhere. She'd just be wandering forever.

She felt something in her hand. Glancing down, she saw that she was holding a small glass with the serum inside. How did she have it? More importantly, how did she not spilled it? She remembered her hand was at her side. So how was she holding the glass as if she was handing it to someone?

Was this part of the simulation?

Seeing that she had nothing to do, Erica downed the serum.

Closing her eyes again, she tried to feel if the environment changed. But she didn't hear anything.

And it was the silence that worried her.

Opening her eyes, she had to do a double take. She was now in a forest of some sort.

_Where the hell am I?_

Markata said that the simulation would bring up her memories, desires and dreams. She did have memories of traveling through forests with the Thundercats, and there she did have dreams of being in a forest. But never did she have a desire to be in one.

There was something else she noticed. No. Something she felt. Her clothes.

Looking down, gone was her standard uniform. Instead, she was wearing a black dress that ended right above her knees and the sleeves went up to her wrists. She also was wearing black stockings and black flats.

_What the hell am I wearing?_

The outfit reminded of the clothes she wore when she lived in Thundera. But this one was plain and simple. No intricate patterns, no complex stitching, and it didn't reveal skin. It was something that she might have worn if she had some free time to herself. Though she never remembered dressing up in outfits like these and trying on make-up. Was this one of her desires? Wearing a dress to fell pretty? It did cover the scars. That was a good thing. Right?

_I shouldn't be concerned with this right now._

Erica did a perimeter check of where she was at. The trees were about as tall as a skyscrapers. The trunks themselves were about as wide at the Elephants. Patches of dirt and grass covered the ground.

In the distance, she could hear a waterfall.

_Here we go._

Erica decided to go to the waterfall. Judging from the sound of the roaring waters, the water must be going down from a large cliff. If she were able to get up there, she could see what was on the horizon.

As she walked, Erica took the time to enjoy the scenery around her. The forest itself seemed to calm her down. From the sound of the wind in the trees, to smell of musky scent of wildlife, she was genuinely at peace. Even if this was just a simulation.

After a few minutes of walking, she finally made it to the waterfall. It was just about the same height as the trees.

_I wonder if my powers still work in the simulation._

It wouldn't hurt to try.

All the training she did with Markata really paid off. Before, she could hardly lift herself with her telekinesis. But now, she was able to do it with no problem.

Erica lifted off of the ground and went up to the top of the waterfall.

Once she was at the top, she took a good look at the horizon. As it turns out, it wasn't a forest at all. At the horizon, she could see mountains. And not too far from the waterfall, there were grassy hills and about a few miles away from the hills, was a small canyon.

For a second, she thought all of this was real.

But she knew it wasn't. All of this was an illusion. A figment of her imagination.

She actually knew all of this was just in her mind.

Considering that she saw a flash of red on the hills. And she remembered that red mane.

Jumping down from the cliff and using her powers to slow down her descent, Erica ran.

The hills weren't that far from where she was. If she made it there in time, Lion-O could still be here.

Dodging fallen logs and low branches, she broke free out of the forest and was now in the hills. She quickly sprinted up to one of them and saw Lion-O. He was between the hills and the canyon. The river from before had divided up the two sections.

Erica wasted no time getting closer to him. She had reached the top of a hill when she stopped. From the short distance that was between them, Erica could make out what Lion-O was wearing. He was wearing a black sweater and black pants. The same shade of black as her dress. With his back towards her, Lion-O stopped at the river.

Why was he here in the simulation?

Then it hit her.

If Lion-O was here, then this must mean that he is the obstacle she has to overcome. This was her desire: to kill him.

Slowly sneaking closer to him, Erica focused her attention to a rock that was right next to him. It was big enough to crush a skull.

_Perfect._

She concentrated on the rock, focusing her thoughts on nothing else but the rock.

…but nothing happened.

_What?_

She focused on the rock and tried to lift it with her mind.

Again, it didn't budge.

_Come On!_

The rock didn't lift.

What was going on with her powers? She was able to lift herself up to the waterfall. Why was she having trouble lifting a rock?

Her train of thoughts were broken when she saw Lion-O take off his sweater.

Erica's knees shook as she tried her best to regain her balance.

_His back. Those muscles…_

A chill ran down her spine at the same time her cheeks turned red.

Lion-O cupped a hand into the water and cleaned off some dirt on his face. While doing so, Erica just stared at him, mesmerized. She had never seen him without his armor on. And here he was before her, no clothing covering his upper body. Even with his usual armor on, she could still see his arm muscles. But never had she seen him so bare.

He stood up straight and Erica quickly went down. The grass was tall enough to conceal her. Through the grass, she could see him turn to where she was standing. Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red.

_His chest. God why are you doing this to me!?_

Lion-O reached for his sweater and put it back on. And he went off back into the forest.

When he was a safe distance away, Erica stood up and followed.

Instinctively, she reached for her sword, only to feel air.

_How am I going to kill him? With my bare hands?_

She had gone through hand to hand combat with Addicus, so this should be relatively easy.

Balling her hands into fists, she began to quicken her pace.

He still hadn't turn around. He could clearly hear her.

But no matter how quick she advanced towards him, he was still just out of reach.

She had been so caught up on planning his demise, she didn't notice the fallen log.

Luckily, she used her powers to prevent her from falling face first into the dirt. When she looked back to where Lion-O was, he was gone.

_Damn it!_

She then sprinted. It didn't matter if she couldn't see him. She would run to the ends of Third Earth to find him.

_To kill him._

_To kill him._

_To kill him._

_To kill him._

_To feel him._

She stopped dead in her tracks. To feel him?

No. She didn't want to feel him.

Did she?

The sound of a branch snapping caught her attention. Spinning around, she saw Lion-O peeking from a tree, observing her.

She stared back, deep into those blue eyes and red mane.

What she wouldn't do to have her fingers go through that mane.

_No! Stop thinking about that! You are not in love with him!_

She took a step forward, as did Lion-O. They stopped a few feet away from each other. They slowly began to circle each other, never taking their eyes off of each other.

Finally, they stopped. Erica was shocked how close they were. She could easily reach out to touch him.

_Why am I having these thoughts! He is here because I desire to kill him. That's the only reason why he's here. I want to kill him._

_Kill him._

_Kill him._

_Kill him._

_Kill him._

_Kiss him._

_NO! STOP IT! Kill, not kiss! Those muscles, his back. STOP IT!_

Her eyes widened.

She remembered what Markata said. The simulation was from a form of her subconscious. Her dreams. Her thoughts. Her desires.

_Does that mean…_

_I wasn't able to life that rock. Not because I couldn't. I didn't want to. _

_Kill him or love him?_

Erica spun halfway, wanting to get the hell out of here, when Lion-O reached out and grabbed her arm.

He pulled her close until she was close to his chest.

She could hear his heart beating. She could feel her heart beating fast.

Lion-O lifted a paw to push away locks of her white hair away from her face. It lingered on her cheek. His paw felt so soft. Calloused, but gentle to the touch.

_No._

_No._

_No._

_No._

_No._

_Yes._

She then placed her hand on his cheek.

_My desires. These are my desires._

She let her hand fall from his cheek as she moved closer. Pressing her face to his chest and wrapping her arms around him.

Erica then felt strong arms enveloping her in a hug,

_I want this._

_To be friends again._

_No._

_To be with him. _

_Forever._

* * *

Erica opened her eyes. She was back in the mirrored room.

Markata shifted his gaze back and forth between her and the monitor.

"Are you alright lieutenant?" he asked.

Erica didn't say a word.

Markata removed the electrodes from her head.

She wasted no time heading for the door. She didn't care what the results of the simulation was. Nor did she want to see what Markata thought of the results.

In the hallway, Erica kept her head down. She wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone.

She had finally reached her room. Inside, she sat on her bed.

The simulation had shown her desires.

Lion-O.

Shaking her head, Erica pulled the covers and laid down, covering herself with the blanket.

No matter how many times she denied it, she couldn't help but accept the truth.

Those were her desires.

She let sleep take her over.

Listening to her beating heart.

Listening to Lion-O's beating heart.


	9. Silhouettes

**Hey guys! Not much to say this time.**

**This chapter is based off the song Silhouettes by Of Monsters and Men.**

**I so not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**Silhouettes belongs to Of Monsters and Men. I do not have any affiliation with them or their record company.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It was snowing ashes.

Lion-O watched as the ash fell from the black clouds.

All around him, fire scorched the city. Buildings, what once were tall and touching the sky, were now ruble. The palace itself met the same fate.

Thundera.

The capital city of cats, was now in ruins.

Balling his paws into fists, Lion-O held back a scream. The city he was meant to rule one day, was gone. Along with about half of the citizens. The once who escaped were the lucky ones. While others were caught and taken into slavery. The cats have been the true rulers of Third Earth. Lion-O had to admit that they had ruled by force, since they had the War Stone. They were superior.

And in a matter of minutes, they were soon decimated into endangerment.

_Is this our punishment?_

Turning around, Lion-O tilted his head up to where the palace once was.

He remembered the times he would shirk off his royal duties in favor of understanding of technology. And being spending time with Echo.

His father would get angry about his lack of interest of becoming king. Even Tygra would scold him.

Lion-O sighed and looked down.

_How? How am I able to be a king if I don't know the first thing about ruling a kingdom?_

…_I'm sorry father. For not taking my responsibilities seriously. I will avenge you._

"_I remember this area. We use to take this short cut when we went to go see Jorma. There used to be this small stand that would sell the most beautiful silk I had ever seen. You promised one day you would buy me one. But now it seems useless."_

Standing next to him, Echo materialized into view. She put a hand on his arm and gently rubbed.

Lion-O glared at her. Why of all times must she reappear? Especially now?

"_Maybe because you still miss me?"_

"Stop reading my mind."

"_Your thoughts are so easy to read. You don't even try to hide them. You might as well be yelling in my ear."_

"Well then stop being near me!"

"_How can I stop being near you if you want me close? Kind of contradicting yourself."_

He stayed quiet. It was pointless arguing with her. Especially since she was a figment of her imagination. Or maybe he had gone crazy?

"_Nah. If you were, Tygra would easily de-throne you in a heartbeat."_

Lion-O was about to yell at her when he saw someone in the corner of his eyes.

He quickly turned. Instead of a cat who had survived, he was staring at a shadow. The shadow was standing next to a pile of rubble. It was just standing there. It didn't acknowledge Lion-O. It wasn't even staring at him.

Lion-O stepped closer the shadow. It wasn't until he was a few feet away from the shadow that he realized it wasn't a shadow at all. It was more of a silhouette. A silhouette of a cat.

"_This is something new." _Echo said as she circled the silhouette._ "I've seen a shadow first hand, but not like this. What could it be?"_

"It's a silhouette," Lion-O replied.

"_Good for you. Are there more out there?"_

Lion-O spun around, not seeing another silhouette. Echo laughed.

"_Honestly, you are so dense. Use the Sword of Omens, genius."_

Ignoring her remark, Lion-O brought Omens up to his eyes.

"Sword of Omens. Give me sight beyond sight!"

In his new vision, Lion-O saw thousands of silhouettes.

Dropping Omens, he gasped at the many silhouettes. What made it worse was that he wasn't using Omens to see them. He was seeing the silhouettes with his real vision.

Thousands of cat silhouettes covered the ruins. Some adults, some children. All dead.

"No," Lion-O murmured.

"_It's the truth,"_ Echo said. _"These are the cats who lived here. Their silhouettes are forever engraved in the destruction. They are the result of what Mumm-Ra did."_

"NO!"

Lion-O ran.

More and more silhouettes appeared as he ran. He tripped on uneven concrete and slammed to the ground. As he pushed himself up, the silhouettes began to surround him. He could see nothing but a sea of black silhouettes.

And in the sea, he could hear the screams, the cries, and shouts of the cats. He grimaced. He could hear their pain and worry before their life was cut.

Lion-O didn't bother trying to get up. He laid on the ground, in a fetal position, covering his ears. He could still hear them calling for help.

_It's not my fault, _he thought. _Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault not my fault not my fault not my fault Not my fault Not my fault Not my fault._

The cries ceased.

The silhouettes disappeared.

Only Echo was there.

She knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his cheek.

"_It was never your fault."_

* * *

"You okay there kid?"

Lion-O looked up at Panthro. The group were camped out in a forest not far from Cat City. They had left earlier with the attempt to map out more of the area. The forest they were in was not too far from the Enchanted Forest. Although it was near the Mirage Forest, they hadn't seen any trees with red leaves.

The night before, they had set up camp and during their sleep, Lion-O woke from his dream.

He wasn't able to go back to sleep afterwards. He spent the day trying not to look tired. But it seemed that the rest of the group figured that out already. Throughout the day, his movements were a bit sluggish. It took him more than ten seconds to respond to anyone if he was spoken to. He even was oblivious to Kit and Kat after they had some candy fruit for lunch and were running around the area with sugar in their system.

Hours later (thankfully, the kittens weren't hyper anymore), they had set up camp in a small clearing.

Realizing the group was waiting for his answer, Lion-O straightened up and held out his hands to the fire.

"I had a nightmare last night. I couldn't sleep afterwards?"

"What was it about?" Kit asked.

"…the fall of Thundera."

The group remained silent as Lion-O began to explain his dream.

"All around me, silhouettes of cats cried out in help. It was a noise that would never go away even if I covered my ears. There were thousands of them. Some were adults, while others were children. They needed help. But instead, they died. I know I wasn't responsible for what happened to them. I just wished there were more survivors."

"It was just a dream," Cheetara had said. "It was a traumatic experience for all of us. It's okay if you had a nightmare about it."

"I still remember that day like it was yesterday," Pumyra added. "I could see buildings crumbling down on others while I ran. It was absolutely gut wrenching. I wished I could've done more to help others."

"It was even worse when father died," Tygra said. "So much death and destruction."

Lion-O sighed as he withdrew his hands away from the fire. "We should get some rest now. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

The cats crawled into their bedrolls.

Hours later, and getting no sleep, Lion-O stared up at the night sky.

Through the canopy of the leaves, he could see one of the moons.

"_Pretty, isn't it?"_

Next to him, Echo was lying on her back, staring up at the sky.

"_Back in Thundera, when I couldn't sleep, I would sneak up onto the roof and look up at the sky. There were times I would wake up around dawn and would run back inside so no one would report me missing. Dawn is the best time. Second to sunsets. Whereas sunsets are orange, red and pink mixed together, dawn is dark blue, purple and orange mixed. It's really beautiful to look at. But sunsets are the best. It means the day is ending, and a new one will start tomorrow."_

This was probably the only time he let her speak. It was amazing how this figment of his imagination felt and looked so real. Sometimes, he wished he would reach out and touch her, to see if she was real.

Imaginary Echo glanced at him. She smiled as she inched herself closer to him.

"_Good night." _She closed her eyes.

"Good night, Echo," Lion-O closed his eyes.

This time, he slept peacefully.


	10. Mountains

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay. Normally I don't wait this long to post a chapter. But circumstances hindered my time to sit back and write. That being said, it will take me a while to post the next chapter. How long? I don't know. Here's why:**

**1\. I am attending summer courses, and they take up most of my time since it's a Monday through Thursday class.**

**2\. I am currently focusing on two of my other fanfics. I want to work on them until at least one of them is done. Then I have to plot a sequel for one of them.**

**By no means am I stopping this giftfic yet. I still have a few more ideas for it. But in the meantime, it will have to take a backseat, since I have to focus on my studies as well as my other fanfics.**

**But I leave you with this new chaper!**

**The song that inspired this chapter is Mountains by Message to Bears.**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**I do not own Mountains. It belongs to Message to Bears and I do not have any affiliation with them or their record company.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"What on Third Earth is she doing?"

Lion-O looked through a pair of binoculars and saw Echo going up a mountain.

She was dressed in a uniform of belts and buckles. Strapped to her back, was her mysterious new sword. Other than the uniform and sword, she carried nothing else.

"Why is she going up that mountain?" Pumyra asked. "There's nothing up there but rocks."

"Maybe Mumm-Ra ordered her up there," Cheetara interjected. "There could be some type of clue as to where the next stone is on the mountain."

Tygra let out a huff. "Well whatever is up there, it's not worth the risk. One wrong step and you could fall to your death. Let her go and fall off. We're better off without her anyway."

"No!"

All the cats turned to Kit, who was balling her fists in anger.

"Don't say that Tygra! No one deserves to die! Not even her. She's still my friend."

"Same goes for me!" Kat stood by his sister's side.

Lion-O stared at the kittens in shock and amazement. Even after what happened, especially in Avista, they still believed in her. They didn't believe that she was a traitor or their enemy. To them, she will always be their protector and friend.

"Kit…Kat…" Lion-O couldn't find the right words to say. Most likely, they'll dismiss what he says about Echo and defend her.

"Let's follow her," Kit spoke out. "Maybe she's looking for something. We can't let her get hurt. I don't want her to die up there."

"Kid's got a point." Panthro stepped grabbed the binoculars out of Lion-O's grasp and looked through them. Echo was still ascending up a steep slope. "Whatever is up there, it's got to be important. If she's risking her life to go up there, it must be worth it."

"We can't just go up there blindly," Pumyra said. "One wrong step and we'll die before we even get to where she's going."

"Well Lion-O," Tygra said. "What should we do? You're the king."

Taking back the binoculars from Panthro, he saw echo take a path on the side of a mountain. She was walking like she was going on a stroll through Thundera. It didn't seem like she was on a destination. She was simply taking a walk.

He shifted his gaze to the mountains. Tygra was right. Just from looking at the mountains, it was easy to see where one wrong step could end in death.

But he noticed something. Looking back to Echo, she was alone. Addicus, Slithe, and Kaynar were absent. Not even Mumm-Ra was there. Why would she be going up a dangerous place alone?

Lion-O set down the binoculars. "We follow her," he said.

Pumyra sighed. Clearly she was far from pleased with the idea.

Kit and Kat smiled with joy.

"However," Lion-O continued. "We will follow her from a distance. We don't want her to know we're following her. The last thing we need is to be taken down by her telekinesis. Let's go."

Once Echo was a great distance away from them, the Thundercats followed behind.

"I still think this is a bad idea." Tygra said.

Ignoring his comment, Lion-O lead the front, walking the steep slope that lead to the mountains.

With each step they took, the climbed higher and higher until they saw Echo stop.

In front of her, the flat path stopped completely. By now, she was stepping on uneven ground. She took out her sword and used it as a cane.

Since she was human, she would have more difficulty climbing up a mountain. Lion-O often forgot about her disadvantages. Cats were more agile and flexible. While a human…

He didn't really know that much about humans. Echo is the only one. Her species must be on the verge of extinction. So far, they never knew any other humans living on Third Earth. She may be the last one.

And if she were, she was risking her life. Tygra was right. The more they climbed up, the more they had to be careful taking their steps. By now, they were using their claws to stay attached to the side of the mountain. One slip and they could die.

"We should head back," Panthro called out to Lion-O. "It's not worth it. There might not even be anything up here."

"I agree with Panthro," Cheetara said. "We will get injured or worse if we keep scaling up."

Lion-O stopped in his tracks. They were right. Higher and higher they went, it was becoming more dangerous. At this altitude, the rocks were becoming looser.

But he had to follow her. He doesn't know why, but he has to.

"We keep going," he said. "Echo could lead us to something worthwhile. Whether it be a clue where to find the next stone or something else, we have to know. If Mumm-Ra sent her here, then we have to know."

"It's suicide going after her." Tygra said.

"Maybe. But we continue to follow her."

Tygra growled. "What is it with you and her? She betrayed us brother. She means nothing to us anymore."

"I know. But…"

"But what? Tell us."

In truth, Lion-O didn't know why he was following her in the first place. She was still an enigma to them. When she was with them, her past and origin were unknown. Even now, it was still shrouded in mystery.

"We still follow."

Kit and Kat climbed up faster until they were next to him.

"Just you wait and see." Kit said. "She's not a spy."

Kat nodded. "Yeah. Besides, you do miss her right?"

This earned a growl from Pumyra.

"Kit, Kat. Just keep climbing." Lion-O didn't like to be mean with the kittens. He was pretty sure if Echo heard him, she will hit him upside the head and give him a stern lecture about treating the kittens like kids, and not recruits.

Lion-O was distracted by them, he almost didn't see Echo stop.

Before her, stood a wall of rocks. It was probably somewhere over fifty feet tall. High up above, was a flat surface. Another walkway.

Echo put away her sword and stood there.

Then she began to float.

"Did she ever do that?" Lion-O asked Cheetara. He knew she taught Echo to hone in on her ability. But never had he seen her carry herself like that.

Cheetara shook her head, dumbfounded by Echo's power.

Echo finally reached the top and gently lowered herself. She disappeared from their view.

Lion-O climbed faster. "Let keep up. We can't lose her or we'll-

A rain drop landed on his nose. Soon he felt other drops. He glanced up at the sky and was shocked to see it grey. Earlier, the sky was blue with several large white clouds. But now grey clouds covered the sky like a blanket.

"Hurry!"

He and the rest of the Thundercats began to claw up the wall. Rain was now pouring down on all of them.

When they reached the top, Lion-O could barely make out Echo's from. They were now on a narrow pathway.

"Come on." He said.

By now, they didn't care if they were close to her. They kept closely behind her.

She still kept going, completely oblivious of them.

They got halfway of the path when they heard rumbling.

A small pebble landed next to Lion-O's feet. Followed by a few more.

"Rockslide!" Pumyra yelled.

Unknown to them, a boulder was barreling towards the kittens.

They both looked up at the incoming boulder and screamed.

Hearing their screams, Lion-O quickly turned. But he was too far from them.

"KIT! KAT!"

The twins huddled together on the ground, waiting for the boulder to crush them.

But it didn't.

Kit slowly opened her eyes, as did Kat.

The boulder stopped just a few inched away from them. Not only that, but all the other rocks stopped moving. They were frozen in place.

Lion-O knew what this meant. He turned back to Echo. She still had their back to them. She wasn't walking.

Then the boulder, along with the other rocks began to crack until they were reduced to dust.

Echo began walking again.

"Echo!" Lion-O called out to her. "Wait!"

Ignoring his team, he ran.

He could hear the calls of the cats, but he ignored them. His mind was focused on Echo.

She had saved them. More importantly, she saved the twins from death.

If she did that, then maybe…

He had to know.

Up ahead, Echo stopped. The path ended. There was nothing ahead but a cliff. She was standing close to the edge.

Lion-O could think of one reason why she near the edge.

"Echo, don't. That's not the answer!"

He stood a few feet away from her.

"Echo…"

Then, something happened. Something that enthralled Lion-O and the other cats.

The rain stopped. Droplets were frozen in place. Lion-O reached out to touch them. They stuck to his fur.

Could this mean that Echo…

He took a few more steps. He was just a few inches away.

"Echo?"

Echo turned.

His eyes widened.

Echo was crying. Tears going down her face. Her eyes were red and puffy.

This wasn't tears of sadness. She wasn't sobbing. Nor were they tears of happiness.

Lion-O could see her lips didn't tremble. Her body wasn't shaking.

She looked… tired.

He reached out and wiped the tears away.

She didn't flinch when she felt his fingers brush against her skin.

"Echo."

She didn't say anything. She let him stroke her cheek.

Before he could say anything else, Kit and Kat rushed by him and they both hugged Echo.

"Don't cry." Kit said as she held Echo tightly.

Kat nodded. "You're still our friend."

Echo reached out and rubbed their heads. She was still crying.

_What have I done to her_ Lion-O thought, _Is she always like this?_

In a sudden movement, the three of them were gently pushed away from Echo.

She looked at him.

"Until next time."

The sky lit up with lightning, blinding them.

Once their vision returned, Echo was gone.


	11. Sunsets

**Hey everyone! Dark here! I'm really excited about this chapter. I wonder how you guys will feel after reading this particular chapter. Guess we'll have to see.**

**This chapter was inspired by the song Mt. Washington by Local Natives and the scenes were inspired by Life is Strange (Both of which I don't own).**

**Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The sky was unlike any other. Several colors bleeding into one another. Red, pink, coral, orange, purple. A variety of colors from the spectrum. All from the sun setting.

Lion-O watched the sun slowly disappear into the horizon. He sat on a rock that was in a field adjacent to Cat City. It was little over a ten minute walk between the two, but he didn't mind. He actually preferred to be alone in this area.

When he needed to think, or if he needed to relieve some stress, he always went to this exact spot. Here, the only sound was that of the wind blowing.

He took a deep breath and let it out.

Today was… uneventful.

To be told, he found the day boring.

He woke up around dawn, getting ready to take a quick jog around the shanty town. Then, he helped out with preparing medical supplies. Later, he held a council meeting. He proposed that they build some type of perimeter around the city. Afterwards, he spent some time with Pumyra, helping her in teaching a class about field dressings.

All in all, it was an ordinary day for the young king.

But it's never that simple.

After the field dressing lesson, Lion-O stopped by the council chamber to pick up his scabbard. As he was about to enter the chamber, he heard voices coming from inside.

He slowly crept up to the door and gently pushed it open just a crack. He peeked inside and saw two dogs speaking.

Lion-O thought about entering the chamber, regardless of who was in there, when one of the dogs mentioned him.

"Honestly, I have no idea what's taking him so long finding the next stone."

"Tell me about it," the other dog replied. "I thought he would've already had a plan on what to do next. But he's just stalling. That blasted book of his won't even tell him about the next stone."

"I'm more or less ready to return to Dog City if nothing happens. Here we are, sitting and waiting until he finds the next stone, or until Mumm-Ra decides to decimate this pathetic excuse of a town."

"I'm with you on that bud. No way will I be here if that bag of bones decides to pay a visit. I'd rather be back home. At least there I'll get a head start into hiding if that mummy invades this place."

"If he does get here and we're still stuck here, let's hope that king and his friends will drive him back to where ever he crawled out of."

"Same here. Speaking of his crew, whatever happened to that white haired wood forger? I remember seeing them together back in the city. But she isn't here."

"Beats me. She must have left a while ago. I would too if I was stuck with a king who procrastinates."

Lion-O stepped away from the door. It took all of his will power to not storm into the room and yell at the dogs. He exited the chamber and went straight for the field.

He looked back at the city. This was his empire. It may not have been the best one, but this was all he has left. He needed to build an army to stop Mumm-Ra. But even with enough animals by his side, it wouldn't be enough to stop him.

In a way, the dogs were right. He needed to go find the next stone. Fast. Otherwise…

"What are you doing out here?"

Pumyra sat down next to him, watching the setting sun.

"Just watching."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"I've never seen anything like this. It looks almost magical."

"That's the power of nature for you."

Lion-O chuckled. "Yeah…"

"What wrong?" She asked.

_What isn't wrong,_ he thought.

"I'm just thinking about what's coming next. After we get the stone, then what?"

"Easy," Pumyra said. "We kill Mumm-Ra for good and we can live in peace. We won't have to worry about him once he's gone."

"You make it sound easy."

"I'm not saying it will be easy. Since he has the Technology stone, it'll make it harder to take him down. But we will win this war."

He leaned forward and brought his hands on his forehead. "It just seems that the more we progress we make, the more it gets difficult."

Pumyra gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "We just need to have faith Lion-O. Faith is what keeps us strong and together. Mumm-Ra will be stopped."

Lion-O shook his head. "It isn't Mumm-Ra I'm worried about."

He could feel her hand tense up. He knew just the mere mention of her made her mad.

"Why bring her up?"

"Because like it or not, she's in on this. I know you don't like her-"

"It's because she betrayed us." Pumyra interrupted. "She works for him. She deserves death."

"What is it you don't like about her?" This he wanted to know. Unlike the others, Pumyra hasn't known Echo for long. Just only a few days. While he knew her personally for six months. Six months of talking, sneaking out of the palace to go see Jorma, playing pranks on Tygra, and watching sunsets. Like he was doing right now.

It hurt when she was discovered to be a spy. She served him before. It was a complete shock to him to know his one and only best friend had been lying to him.

He had a reason to despise her. But there was still a part of him that couldn't let go of her. Every now and then, he would think about her. Or her phantom image appearing out of nowhere when he least expects it. About a week ago, during a council meeting, she appeared in the back of the room, causing him to falter his words a bit. Thankfully no one noticed.

Despite everything, Echo still managed to be a part of his life.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about sparing her."

Pumyra's words broke him out of his thoughts.

"What else are we supposed to do about her?" He asked. "Once Mumm-Ra is dead, then she will probably go into hiding."

"And if she doesn't? You're still forgetting about her power. That alone can kill us. Even without that mummy, she'll find a way to end us."

It was true. She has the advantage over them with her telekinesis. And if Mumm-Ra has been teaching her to hone in on her powers, it could end in disastrous results.

"I just hope we will get through this," he said. He straightened up and watched the sun.

Pumyra leaned into him.

"We will be victorious in this." She kissed him gently on his cheek.

Lion-O smiled. He put his arm around her, pulling her closer.

They watched the sunset. Together.

* * *

Even to this day, she still loved watching sunsets.

Erica sat on a sand dune far from the Black Pyramid. The sunsets here were almost the same as the ones in Thundera. Then again, she was pretty sure all sunsets were the same, regardless of the area.

She just needed to see the sunset. This was one of the rare moments when she was truly alone. Except for Sunny, of course. Sunny was nestled in her lap, snuggling close to her. He had been built to comfort her.

But the berbil did little to lift her mood up.

She shifted her gaze from the sun to the sand. She grabbed a handful and released it just as the wind picked up. She watched as the sand danced in the air before disappearing.

She brought a hand up to her forehead. Why was she feeling like this?

When she woke up this morning, she felt… odd.

She couldn't wrap her mind around this feeling.

She went about her day: Sword fighting with Markata and Kaynar, snapping one of Voltaire's wings because he said something he would regret, and training her telekinesis. And still, the odd feeling lingered.

After a while, she went out to watch the sunset. She figured that watching it would make this certain feeling go.

But it didn't.

She wasn't used to the unknown. Granted, her life before Thundera was full of voids. But now, she was used to it.

Looking back up, the sun was almost gone. Just only a few minutes left.

Immediately, her mind went back to when she was with Lion-O. Often, he would join her in watching the sun set. He didn't mind being with her. He enjoyed being with his friend. As she did with him.

They would always talk during these moments. It went from technology to her past to how to formulate their next prank on Tygra.

But she remembered one event in particular that may have been her favorite.

She never had a particular spot for watching sunsets. It could be in the balcony, the gardens, or even on the roof.

This time, she was on the roof.

It was shortly after dinner. After leaving the dining room, she made went outside and climbed an ivy covered wall and sat down.

She closed her eyes and let the last bits of the sun's rays envelop her.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Lion-O was next to her. He gave her a smile. She blushed as she gave him a small smile. Then both went back to staring at the sun in silence.

No words were spoken. None were needed. She had never felt closer to him than before.

Then… Erica understood what the odd feeling was.

It was loneliness.

She missed watching the sunset with Lion-O.

She looked to her left and right. Aside from Sunny, she was alone.

This only made the feeling worse.

_It's his fault,_ she thought. _He's the reason why I'm like this. That bastard. So why do I miss him?_

She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to have these feelings.

For now, she had Sunny and the setting sun to keep her company.

But it wasn't the same. Not like with Lion-O.

She just wants to watch one more sunset with him. Just one more.

She watched the sunset. Alone.


	12. Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

**Hey everyone! Dark here with another update!**

**This chapter has a special place in my heart because the song used to inspire it, Tomorrow Will Be Kinder, has a great message in the lyrics. It's a song both Lion-O and Erica could relate to.**

**I do not own Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes. The story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**Tomorrow Will Be Kinder belongs to The Secret Sisters.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_This may have been the nineteenth time she was up on the roof of the palace._

_Echo was one to never keep track of how many times she did a certain task. Whether it be counting the times Sunda would escort her to breakfast, lunch and dinner; the times she went to the gardens; or when she and Lion-O spent time together, she just went with it. It seemed insignificant. She enjoyed doing them. So there was no need to keep track of them if she was in a state of happiness during those moments._

_However, she did keep track of the times when she would go to the roof on a sleepless night. And it would be the same roof of the palace. Far off from the throne room, to the roof of the area she vacated. Ivy grew along the wall so it made it easier to maneuver her way up there without trouble._

_The first time she went up there, it was because of a nightmare. She didn't suffer from nightmares every night. But there were times when her dreams would be filled with nothing but destruction, death, and worse of all, the unknown. She remembers waking up in a cold sweat, breathing rapidly, eyes darting around the room. When she couldn't fall back to sleep, she took a chance and climbed up the ivy wall. One she made it, Echo took a deep breath and sat down, looking up at the three moons and the many bright white stars._

_It made the memories of her nightmare disappear into the black hole she called her memory. Once she felt at ease, she would climb back down into her room._

_She hoped this wouldn't be an occurrence. _

_Unfortunately, things didn't go her way._

_A few days after her first trip to the roof, she had another nightmare. She repeated what she did when she had her first nightmare._

_And this would go on for sixteen more times._

_Now, after waking up drenched in sweat, this would be her nineteenth time._

_And she was tired of it._

_On most days, she would not even think about her dreams. If they were nightmares, she would try her best to ignore them. Which was easy. It was like cleaning out leftover food from plates. _

_But after a while, it got to the point where she just wanted her nightmares to permanently end. Even if they did give off some hints as to who she was before and what she did, they were only faded and quick. Like her name, they were echoes of a past life she knew little to nothing about._

_Things did take a new turn when she discovered her ability. Telekinesis. It sounded right to her. The ability to move objects with her mind._

_Such an amazing power she wielded. No Cleric in Thundera ever had an ability like that. To date, she was the only species to have such power. _

_Often, she would practice with Jaga. Lifting small objects and gradually lifting big objects, deflecting discs thrown at her, and she even took apart small pieces of technology Lion-O bought from Jorma. _

_Lion-O._

_Echo smiled as she looked to her left, to the window where Lion-O's room was. His room was located in a different wing of the palace. He would sometimes invite her to his room so they can talk about technology, theorize about her past, helping him with the pieces of technology, and they would sometimes talk. _

_There were times when she realized that she was in the same room with him. Granted, they've been alone sometimes but it was usually out in the open. In the gardens, the dining room, and when they went into the slums._

_In his room however, they were truly alone. Just them._

_The first time she had the thought of being alone with him, her face reddened that Lion-O asked if she was sick. She shook her head and they talked._

_Right now, there was no light in his room._

He must be asleep by now,_ Echo mused._

_She was hoping she could sneak past the guards, go into his room and tell him about her nightmares._

_He was the only one who was aware she had them. He would notice how she looked off into the distance in deep thought. And sometimes she had dark circles around her eyes. _

_Like the true friend he was, he asked if she was alright._

_Echo couldn't really tell him about her nightmares. It would make no sense to her. Plus from what she does remember about them, it wasn't good. Just wisps of non-tangible dreams._

_When Lion-O asked her about them, she just told him that while she couldn't remember them, they weren't good._

_He understood and would give her a pep talk. Or spend time with her until she felt better._

_He was always there for her when she needed help._

_She could use his help now._

_With determination, she climbed back into her room, donned on a black cloak and sneaked out of her room._

* * *

_Echo stood before Lion-O's door. _

_This should've been easy. She knocked on his door several times. But the times she did it was during the day or when he was still awake in his room. It should've been easy._

_But she couldn't bring her hand up and knock. She didn't want to wake him up if he was sleeping. Nor did she want the sound of her knocking to alert the guards. _

Now or never, _she thought._

_Her lips trembled. Quickly and quietly, she rapped the door four times._

…

_Echo stood there for about seven seconds. She knocked again._

…

_She raised her hand again. _One more time.

_Her fist was about a few inches away from the door when it opened._

_She nearly gasped. _

_The door opened half way and Lion-O's face peered out from it._

_His eyes were droopy. _

_Echo kicked herself mentally several times. Hard._

_Lion-O's eyes widened when he realized it was her._

"_Echo?" He opened the door fully. _

_In turn, Echo's eyes went wide. Lion-O was wearing just some type of pants. No shirt._

_She felt the heat go to her cheeks. She shifted her gaze to the right._

_Lion-O stepped out of his room. "Is everything alright?"_

"_Uh…um…c-can I…is it okay if…do you h-have a moment…um."_

_This was so much easier in her head._

_Thankfully, Lion-O was there to save her from mumbling like an idiot._

"_Do you want to talk?" he asked?_

_Thankful for him breaking the ice, she nodded and stepped inside his room._

_Closing the door behind him, Lion-O turned on an oil lantern that sat on his table, surrounded by bits and pieces of technology. _

_Echo sat down on his bed, trying her best not to stare at bareness. He sat down next to her._

"_What's wrong?" He placed a hand on her shoulder._

What isn't wrong with me?_ Echo thought._

_She looked at his blue eyes. "I just…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."_

"_Like what?"_

"_You know how I've been having these nightmares for a while."_

"_Yeah."_

_Echo gripped the side of the bed._

"_I don't know what to do about them sometimes."_

_As she said the words, she felt more at ease with herself. Her apprehension was gone. She felt free._

"_Most nights, I would have these dreams that were a part of my past," she continued. "Even though I can't really remember what happened, it scares me not knowing."_

"_That's understandable," Lion-O said. "I mean, you did just show up here in Thundera out of the blue. I never even realized what a human was before I met you. I still remember when I mistook you for a Wood Forger."_

_She remembers that day well. Him standing so close to her. The shocking color of his red mane, the blue eyes that shone with curiosity. _

"_But that's the thing Lion-O," she said. "I don't remember at all what happened to me. I just remember walking down the slums."_

"_There has to be more than that," Lion-O persisted. "Can you think of anything else while you were in the slums?"_

_Now that he mentioned it._

"_A dog kicked me because I was in his way." _

_She saw his shoulders tense up a bit. _

"_Then the dog said that I had the rot." Echo continued. "When he said that, I remembered that there was a similar disease like the rot. Only for humans. After that, not much, I'm afraid."_

"_No wonder I confused you for a Wood Forger."_

_Echo shifted a bit, getting comfortable. "I can see the resemblance."_

_She went through all the books in the library, scanning each page for hopes of finding some evidence of humans and their existence. She found none. As always._

_It was troubling for her to know that even in a capital city like Thundera, where it had an abundance of books with as much information as anyone could get, not one helped her._

"_I don't know what to do," she said. _

"_What do you mean?" Lion-O asked._

"_I mean about my life." Echo stood and went to the window, looking up at the starry night. "It's been like this for the past few months now. Me not knowing zilch about who I was before. All I am is I'm just some random human with amnesia with some freaky power I don't even know how to master."_

_To prove it, she glanced at Lion-O's desk and focused on a few bolts. They lifted up by a few inches. They trembled before they went back down. She looked back at the sky._

"_That is all I am to everyone here," Echo continued. "Tygra, your father, the guards, the clerics, and even the citizens look at me differently. Like I don't belong here. Like I'm just some speck of dirt that can't go away._

"_Every day, I would hope that I would get some type of answer that will shed light on my past. Even my nightmares hold some answers. But the closer I get, the more lost I become. I get more questions than answers. And I don't know what to do."_

_It felt as if a large boulder has been lifted off of her shoulder when she said what was on her mind._

"_I'm just… nothing."_

_She hugged herself. It did hurt to say it. But what else was she?_

_A warm hand landed on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to see Lion-O. He was giving her a small smile._

"_You _are _something Echo. I don't see you that way. And that cleric you're always with clearly sees you than just a human."_

_Echo parted her mouth, staring up at Lion-O._

"_I know it may be difficult for you to not know about yourself. But even when you don't have all the answers, you still have the memories you make every day. It's nice to see you smiling when you learn something new. Your amnesia doesn't define you. You are more than just nothing. You're… you're something else. And you are capable of much more. Trust me, I know."_

_Echo could feel the tears coming. She quickly blinked them away before they could come out._

_She was stunned. No one ever said that to her. Not even Sunda. _

_Her lips twitched into a smile._

"_T-thank you, Lion-O."_

_His smile grew wider, his fangs glinting from the light coming from the moons._

"_Just remember tomorrow will be kinder. Those black clouds are behind you, and you have a new bright day to look forward to. The pain, the tears will be gone. The dawn will come, and so will many opportunities."_

_Tomorrow…_

_Echo reached out and touched his arm._

"_Thanks."_

_Lion-O nodded. He looked out the window, as did she._

"_Tomorrow will be kinder." Echo said._

"_Tomorrow will be kinder." Lion-O said._

* * *

The words repeated in their heads to this day.

Even if they are now enemies, they know…

Tomorrow will be kinder.


	13. Ladder Song

**Hey everyone! Dark here, how are you doing this evening. **

**Me? Well I'm glad to be presenting you with a new chapter for Remnants!**

**Sorry for the delay. Been a bit busy lately. But fear not, I have not forgotten about this story.**

**Now this chapter is a little short, but it's the story that matters.**

**The song, Ladder Song, originally belongs to Bright Eyes. I'm using the version Lorde sang in the Mockingjay soundtrack. You'd be surprised how some songs are covers.**

**And of course, Fall of the Empire/Rise out of the Ashes belongs to WAR-Operative. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_He never imagined it would end this way. Not like this. At the bottom of a lake, where he could not cry for help._

_He figured his life would end like most other animals: old age. Not like this._

_It was similar to how his father died. Like him, he was killed at the hands of his enemy._

_In the stories, the hero would rise and defeat the villain. That's how it is. That's how it's supposed to be. Always._

_But this time, the stories were wrong._

_Not like this. _

_His death shouldn't have happened._

_He let everyone down. His brother, the twins, the cleric, the general. And especially her. _

_She was a mystery to everyone._

_But it also made her special._

_He wished he would've helped her. _

_It was her journey as much as it was his._

_Now it seems like neither would get what they wanted._

_Because he was dying._

_Before he breathed his last breath, he saw… a ladder._

_The ladder shone like a beacon, asking him to go and climb it. _

_He looked up, seeing that the ladder went up into the sky, never ending._

_Where did it go?_

_He didn't know._

_It was tempting to go and climb it._

_He could hear whispers. Whispers of those who didn't survive when the city crumbled. Whispers of a tiny plant who valued life, even if his was short. Whispers of his father, who would be proud of what he had become, what he was doing._

_But he ignored the whispers. As much as he wanted to see them, it wasn't his time yet._

_He had to live. Not for himself, but for everyone. _

_The ladder faded into nothingness._

_After he wins the war, maybe he'll climb the ladder._

* * *

_She never imagined it would end like this. Not in the sky, bleeding from the sword that would save them all._

_She figured she would it would be from old age._

_She still had so much to look forward to. Or rather, she used to. After when her commanding officer told her what had happened to her kind, she didn't care. She got her answer. And it wasn't pretty._

_After she gave commanding officer the stone, he changed into a monster she was supposed to be fighting._

_But now she was on his side. _

_She looked over to where her friends… enemies were._

_Behind them, different animals stood strong and determined. United together. The lion seemed proud._

_She didn't see animals. She saw killers. They killed her kind. She, along with the commanding officer, were the last ones left._

_And it was their fault._

_To her left, she saw… a ladder._

_The ladder shone like a beacon, asking her to go and climb it._

_Looking up, the ladder went past the glass ceiling and stretched far beyond the clouds, never ending._

_It was so tempting to climb it._

_After all, her life is not what is used to be anymore. _

_She could hear whispers. The whispers of her fallen kind._

_But she ignored the whispers. As much as it would be to see them, it wasn't her time yet._

_She had to live. She would make them pay._

_The ladder faded into nothingness. _

_She turned back to the Lion. She glared at him._

_He would be the first to die._

_Her commanding officer picked her up and they flew up._

_She looked down at the lion, still glaring at him._

_After she kills him, maybe she'll climb the ladder._

* * *

_In the end, one of them will stay, while the other climbs the ladder._

_Or maybe… both will stay?_

* * *

**WAR, if you're reading this, I just hope you get the inspiration to write more of Rise Out Of The Ashes. ;)**


	14. Queen of Peace

**Hey guys! Dark here with another chapter for Remnants!  
**

**Now, I'm pretty sure in another chapter, Remnants is completely non-canon. As in, everything in Remnants does not tie in with Rise Out Of the Ashes. I say this because this chapter is one hundred percent non-canon (you'll find out soon). In the end, it's WAR who owns ROOTA. **

**This part took me a while to write. I wanted to make sure everything was okay and not to make it looked rushed.**

**What really inspired this chapter was Queen of Peace by Florence + the Machine. I love them so much, I have all three of their albums. And since they recently released How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, I've been doing nothing but listening to every song on the album. Flo's voice is so powerful along with the instrumentation and the production! Definitely check them out!**

**And thanks WAR for the shout out. Hope everything goes your way and we get an update on ROOTA soon!**

**As usual, I don't own the song and ROOTA belongs to WAR.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_This is a tale of loss and love._

* * *

_In a kingdom far away, lived a king and his queen._

_They were an odd pair, those two._

_The king was a powerful lion. With a mane red as blood and deep, piercing teal eyes, he was considered handsome among the female citizens. He was kind, compassionate, and ruled his kingdom with integrity._

_Before, he had been a prince to a different kingdom. However, the kingdom fell, along with his father, the king._

_After, he took the role of his father and those before him._

_He set out on a journey with a rag tag team to defeat the evil that had taken his father away from him._

_It wasn't an easy journey to begin with. There were fights. There were trials. There was betrayal. There was forgiveness. _

_And in the end, the king had defeated the evil._

_He was a hero. He was a king._

_The queen… was different._

_She wasn't like the other animals in the kingdom. She was often mistaken for a Wood Forger. _

_Human. That's what she was._

_Not much is known about her or her origin. She was with the king and his group for a while. Then she disappeared. But she came back to help the lion._

_Together, the lion and human vowed to be together. Not long after, they became king and queen._

_For years, the two have successfully ruled their kingdom. _

_Where ever they went, they were seen hand in hand. There have been songs dedicated to the two lovers. They were the true definition of love._

_However, while the king and queen were happy with each other, something was missing._

_A child._

_It proved to be complicated, as how the king and queen were two completely different species. _

_For a while, they lived without children._

_One day, the queen went out for her nightly walks. The night seemed to calm the queen when she couldn't get a good grasp at her emotions. The king offered to go with her. She kissed him and said she'll be fine alone._

_While the kingdom did have a steady economy, there were parts of it that suffered. For those who lived in poverty, the king would invite them to the palace and join him and the queen for dinner. He promised he would somehow provide them with the necessities they needed to live a prosperous life._

_But for now, the poor lived in the slums. Which is where the queen was now._

_It broke her heart to see so many not being able to afford the proper needs to live. However, she noticed that the poor weren't sad. They had each other. And they were happy._

_Just like her husband, the queen will try to do her best to help them._

_As the queen walked along a row of houses, she heard someone running._

_Stopping in her tracks, the queen took a fighting stance. While the king had his swords and the soldiers had their guns, the queen had a power of her own._

_She looked around the area. It was silent, save for the sound of the wind._

_The queen was ready to go back to the palace when she heard something crash._

_Quickly, she ran into an alleyway where the noise was coming from._

_She stopped in her tracks. Before her, was a child, a boy, scrounging around in some garbage. He couldn't be more than six years old. He hasn't noticed the queen._

_It was a tiger, much like the king's brother. But this tiger had white fur instead of orange._

_The queen took a step towards the boy. She stepped on a discarded paper, causing a rustling noise._

_The boy looked up from the garbage and looked at the queen in shock._

_Immediately, the boy bowed, showing respect._

_Surprised by this, the queen stepped towards the boy, kneeling down, meeting his eyes._

_The boy looked up at the queen with ocean eyes._

"_Why are you here?" the queen asked._

"_I don't have a home," the boy said. "My dad died from sickness. As did my mother. I don't have anyone."_

_The boy looked like he was ready to cry. As did the queen._

_Without thinking, the queen stood and held out her hand towards the boy._

_The boy hesitated. He wasn't sure what to think. Or how to act._

_Finally, he took the queen's hand and they left._

* * *

_It was late. The king was worried. He paced around in their master bedroom. His wife shouldn't have been out this long. While there were no murders in his kingdom, there were thefts and other petty crimes._

_But he did wonder if someone had it in his or her mind to attack his wife. She could defend herself well, but she wasn't invincible._

_A pang of guilt struck him in his stomach. He still remembered when he attacked his wife with his sword._

_Before, after they were reunited, he cried and asked for her forgiveness. She did forgive him._

Where is she? _He thought._

_Before he could come up with a plan, he heard knocking at the door._

_The king rushed to the door. When he opened it, his worry dissipated when he saw his wife. He embrace her, telling her he was worried._

_As he broke away from her, he noticed something white near the queen's legs._

_He looked down, seeing a white tiger looking up at him while half hiding behind the queen._

_The queen explained to him what had happened to the boy's parents._

_In response, the king knelt down to the boy and asked him if he was hungry._

_The three of them went into the kitchen and had a late night snack. _

_When the king and queen put the boy in a servant room that was vacant, they stayed with him until he slept._

_The king and queen went to their bedroom and talked a long time until they came to a conclusion._

_The next morning, when the boy was eating breakfast with the king and queen, they both asked him if he wanted to live with them._

_The boy said yes._

* * *

_Finally, the king and queen had a child._

_An Heir to their kingdom._

_The boy looked up to his new parents in awe. While he missed his ma and da, the king and queen did a great job making him feel like he was loved. _

_It was because the king and queen did love him like he was their own._

_He would play swords with the king. With wooden swords of course. He would join him in his meeting with the other animals, observing the king make strategies on a map. _

_With the queen, she would lift his toys with her ability and the boy would chase them, laughing as he'd try to catch them. More often than not, the queen would find him looking intensely at any object, as if he was trying to move it with his mind. While he was disappointed he couldn't mentally move them, the queen would cheer him up by taking him to the palace garden and lift him over the ocean of flowers. This always cheered him up._

_On some nights, while the king and queen were asleep, the boy would enter their room and crawl into their bed, putting himself between the two. This would wake them, and they would smile while snuggling close to their son._

_They were a happy family._

_But all good things come to an end._

_The boy fell ill one day._

_A fever than burned with such intensity. _

_The clerics would come in and out of his room daily. _

_But no amount of herbs and healing did the work._

_The king and queen would stay by his bedside. The king would spend his days holding his son's hand, whispering stories of adventure. The queen would lie down next to her son, planting kisses on his heads._

_They worried for their son._

_But, the queen worried for both her son and her husband._

_As their son's health grew weaker, the king would seem to separate himself from others. Even his wife._

_Once, the king got angry at a cleric who tried to use a new herbal remedy which did nothing to help their son._

_Every night, the queen would silently sob for her dying son and her husband._

_She wanted them to be happy. She would do anything just to have things back to the way they were._

_Then, one day, it rained._

_Everyone mourned that day._

* * *

_A few months after the rain, the queen woke up from her slumber. Instinctively, she reached to her right, but felt air._

_Still in her silk nightgown, the queen exited the bedroom and went to the place where she knew her husband would be._

_Opening the door to her son's room, she found her husband sitting on the bed, holding a toy._

_He didn't look up as she sat down next to him._

_Some say the king has gone mad in his time of suffer._

_It seemed as if no one can cure him from this grief._

_After all, his only son was cut off from life itself._

_Both he and the queen suffered._

_The queen reached out and gently rubbed his shoulders. He still didn't look at her._

_She felt hurt. _

"_Darling," she inched closer to him, placing her head on his shoulder. "You can't be like this all the time. I know it's been hard on us both. I still believe he'll come back one day. But we have to accept what had happened."_

_She was the Queen of Peace. That's what most of the citizens called her. _

_When the king was absent, she would fill in his role. _

_She does her best to try and please the citizens. She tries her best. But without her husband by her side, she couldn't do much._

_The king dropped the toy. He looked at his wife. _

"_I'm sorry," he said. "I just miss him so much."_

"_So do I. But we need to move on. He'll live in our hearts forever."_

_The king nodded. They both stood and went back to their bedroom._

_They would look forward to tomorrow. And they would live._


	15. Ghost

**What's this! Another chapter so soon! Yes! **

**Let's just say that the time when I have nothing to do, I read (of course) and write more chapters for Remnants. And mind you, I'm a college student and that means I have little to no free time. It took me over three weeks just to finish a book I was reading. THREE WEEKS! But now I have some down time to write more!**

**Ghosts can be kind of scary. And with Lion-O's case, it's Echo/Erica that's haunting him. Even though he's the one conjuring her. So why are you doing it Lion-O? Is there something you want to tell us?**

**Anyway, the song used to inspire this chapter is Ghost by Halsey. A new artist I had just recently found out and holy crap can this girl sing.**

**I don't own the song and the original story belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_I'm searching for something that I can't reach._

_-_Halsey.

* * *

When I first met her, I didn't know what to think.

I mistook her for a Wood Forger. She did look like one. Almost. The differences were that she didn't have any fur. I thought she had the rot, but her skin didn't look irritated or blotchy. Granted, she was covered from head to toe in blue. Only her hands and face was visible. There was a scar on her face. Her hands looked soft.

She was something else.

Echo.

She was my first friend. Probably my only friend.

But now. Every time I think about her, I see betrayal.

Sometimes, I would look back at the times we were together.

Were they real?

Or were they just dreams of a girl I knew nothing about?

* * *

"Why are we back here?"

Panthro looked over his shoulder, keeping an eye out for any wandering spirit.

"Because," Cheetara said. "We need to see if Viragor is willing to form an alliance with us. We could use his help."

"How is a spirit supposed to fight Mumm-Ra?" Tygra asked. "Knowing Mumm-Ra, he'll do something to defeat Viragor. That mummy has lots of tricks up his bandages."

Pumyra nodded in agreement. "If what you guys told me about this place and that spirit is true, we need help from someone who can actually fight. Not just go through Mumm-Ra."

Cheetara sighed, adjusting the light coming from the lantern. "We could use _any_ help at this moment. And we saw first-hand what Viragor is capable of doing. He defeated the Wood Forgers. I'm sure he can be able to provide the help we need."

Lion-O looked on at his companions. Though Cheetara had the best interest, he did have to agree with Panthro, Tygra and Pumyra. It would take a lot more than Viragor to stop Mumm-Ra.

Now that he has the technology stone, he is nearly invincible. They have to reach the next stone immediately. Even if it meant asking Viragor for help.

Earlier, the group had traveled from Cat City to the Enchanted Forest of Magi Oar. However, they hadn't been expecting a storm near the forest, so their time of arrival was delayed. So instead of going to the castle to speak with Viragor, they decided to set up camp and try again in the morning.

If Lion-O was being honest with himself, he would've wanted to speak with the spirit now instead of waiting until tomorrow.

Occasionally, he looked over his shoulder, keeping an eye out for any wandering spirit.

Or worse, her ghost.

He knew it wasn't a ghost. At first, he did think it was. But when he and the rest of the cats saw her, clearly alive, he didn't know what to think of this new development.

On several occasions, Echo would pop out of nowhere. The first few times, it surprised him. He even grabbed for his sword, only to see her disappear. After that, her appearances were more frequent and he had gotten used to them.

So he shouldn't be worried.

But he was in a forest that had several spirits nearby.

It was his paranoia that was getting to him. She was alive. He didn't need to worry about this imaginary Echo.

The problem was, if he was imagining her, then why couldn't he make her go away? He tried numerous times to forget her. Once, when she showed up next to him while he and Tygra were teaching a class on technology, he imagined her fading away. But when she wouldn't go, he instead chose to ignore her, continuing on with the lesson.

He's done a good job of hiding this secret to the others. If they knew, then something would happen. Or worse, Pumyra might would get beyond furious.

Sighing, Lion-O shifted his gaze from the lantern to the trees beyond the Feliner. It's been quiet. The spirits were probably resting. Which was good.

If only he could make it until next morning.

"You okay there kid?"

He turned to Panthro, who had a confused look on his face.

"Y-yeah," he said. "Just a little worried about the spirits. That's all."

"Oooooooooooh! Ghosts!" Kit and Kat laughed while Panthro glared at them. The big cat still couldn't stand ghosts.

Water, spirits, and heights. Even a strong big cat like him has some fears.

"We should all turn in." Cheetara grabbed the lantern and dimmed the light. "It's a long day tomorrow, and we need to be in our best if we want to talk with Viragor."

Once everyone got in their bedrolls, and when he heard the soft snores of Panthro, Lion-O quietly slipped out of his bedroll and stepped into the forest.

Lighting bugs danced around him. Thankful for the light, he went down a small dirt path.

If he was going to spend the night on a haunted forest, he needed to see her, just to get it over with. Who knows? Maybe she'll disappear for good once he confronts this figment of his imagination.

A flash of white stopped him in his tracks. Turning left, he saw her in a small clearing.

She waved at him.

He felt anxious going to her. She couldn't hurt him, that's for sure.

When he was close to her, she smiled.

That smile…

"_Hey. What took you so long? I was thinking about taking a little nap."_

It was scary how she talked liked the real Echo. Not only did it sound like her, but it looked exactly like her too. From her blue eyes, to her white hair, to her nubby teeth, he thought it was really her, standing in front of him.

"_What's matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."_

A girl full of secrets and mysteries. A girl no one knew about.

His friend.

His ghost.

There were days where he would wake up and expect to see her somewhere in the shanty town. He had gotten used to her being with them for months until she wasn't. And yet, she was still there, always right next to him.

Always.

Without hesitating, he reached out for her. Even if she wasn't real, he wanted to make sure.

Echo stepped away from his touch, still smiling.

"_Don't worry. We'll see each other soon. Until next time…"_

In a blink of an eye, she was gone.

His ghost. Where did she go?


	16. The Moons and the Earth

**Good evening everyone (or at least to me). Dark here, back with another chapter.**

**The song I used in this one, Begin Again by Purity Ring, resonates well with Lion-O and Erica. Towards the end of Fall of the Empire, they became different people. And hopefully when WAR has time to write again, the two can have the chance to begin again in Rise Out Of The Ashes.**

**As per usual, I don't the song and Rise Out Of The Ashes belongs to WAR-Operative.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_It's a beautiful night. Isn't it?"_

Echo - or at least to Lion-O - a figment of his imagination, sat down next to him on the log, looking up at the starry night.

The three moons shone brightly in the night, while the dazzling stars dotted the ink black sky.

As much as he didn't want to agree with her, given the circumstances, it was indeed beautiful.

"It is." He said.

"_I use to stare up at the moons whenever I needed to think. There's something about them that is so enchanting. You can't just stop staring at them."_

For as long as Lion-O could remember, he always enjoyed seeing the moons.

His first memory was him, barley a cub, watching the moons from his crib as a pink butterfly flew in through his window. His father would remind him that he tried to escape from his crib on numerous occasions just to see if he can reach for the moons.

It seemed silly at the time, but as he grew older, he'd still have dreams of touching one of them.

Most nights, he would reach out with his hand and pretended he was holding one of the moons with his fingers. How big they looked but how small they were in his hands.

"_What do you think it's like up there?"_

She scooted closer to him.

"What do you mean?"

"_I mean what's it like to live there? You guys were from a distant planet and crashed on Third Earth. You all must have come from some planet. Maybe a moon?"_

"I'm not sure a moon is habitable for any species."

"_You never know. Like I said, you animals came on a space ship. Who's to say that a moon can't be habitable? With enough resources, an entire city could be built there. And on nights like these, we could see the lights coming from the buildings. I'm sure if we waved, someone there might wave back." *****_

Lion-O chuckled. "How are you able to imagine that?"

Echo looked at him and smiled. _"I learn from the best."_

His cheeks blushing, Lion-O looked back up at the moons.

As farfetched as it seemed, it would be fascinating if they could live on one of the moons.

But it didn't seem like any of them had any water. And he doubted any plants could grow. But she did have a point. With the technology he has seen in the past year, living on the moon seems possible. Maybe…

"_One day they'll burst."_

"What?"

"_The moons. And Third Earth. One day, they will burst. It probably won't happen for a million years or so. It will happen one day."_

Echo scooted even closer until their shoulders were about an inch apart.

"_Nothing lasts forever. That doesn't mean it can't begin again. The moons and Third Earth will cease to exist. But in some part of the universe, another planet will be born. And so will its moons. They begin again. It's just like us."_

She glanced at him and saw concern on his face. She smiled.

"_I don't mean we'll die. It's just metaphorically."_

"What are you saying?"

"_Imagine you're one of the moons. And I'm Third Earth. One day, we'll burst. And we can start over. Begin again."_

Lion-O in return, smiled.

"When did you get so philosophical?"

"_It's not philosophy. It's the truth. One day, we'll begin again. Just you wait and see."_

With that, Echo faded away.

Lion-O stood up and headed back to Cat City.

This time, he didn't mind Echo was here. He was glad she showed up. Especially in private. The last thing he needed was for him to accidentally conjure her when he was with the other cats.

As he entered his shanty house, he couldn't stop thinking about what Echo said.

_Begin again, _he mused in his mind.

He pulled back the covers from his bed, laid down, and covered himself again with the sheets.

_Begin again._

"_Begin again."_

* * *

* **Shout out to the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer!**


	17. Your Biggest Mistake

**Hey guys! It's been a while hasn't it? Well, blame college for that.**

**But I'm back with the latest chapter!**

**After reading the recent chapter from Rise Out Of The Ashes, I knew I had to use Your Biggest Mistake by Ellie Goulding. As the title suggests, Lion-O made a huge mistake. Is there a way he can atone to it?**

**As usual, I do not own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Lion-O had to find a way to block her mental attacks.

There was the Sword of Omens. But if he was disarmed or not fast enough, he got hit by a barrage of mental attacks.

Holding an arm to his ribs – she may have broken a few – Lion-O lifted his sword, ready to strike.

It was to no avail. Almost immediately, an invisible force hit him in the stomach. His sword falling, he was thrown back several feet, rolling to a complete stop.

How is someone like her, someone alien, able to possess such an amazing power? When they first learned about her power, they came up with theories as to how and why she has it. Of course, nothing was ever simple with her. Maybe that's the reason he liked her. She was complicated and different.

He tried pushing himself up, despite the pain in his ribs.

Something grabbed his foot.

Lion-O reached for whoever was grabbing him. Only to realize that there was no hand on his foot.

Before he could react, he was dragged across the grassy terrain.

He stopped. And the invisible force lifted him in the air, dangling him upside down. Flailing like a fish, Lion-O tried to break free from her grip. But she had grown stronger over the last six months. Not just physically.

She approached him, laughing.

"My my," She shook her head. "This was way too easy. I was hoping you would put up a fight. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose."

Rage filled his mind. He swiped at her, hoping to claw her face. She caught him by the wrist.

"You've got to do better than that, lion."

She didn't let go of his wrist. Lion-O was scared she might snap it. Of course she would. Why wouldn't she?

Oddly though, she didn't break it. She still had it in a solid death grip.

"Tell me," she said softly. "How does it feel knowing I'm more powerful than you?"

"Stop!" he growled. "Stop Ec… Erica."

"So glad you started to use my real name. I was getting so annoyed when you guys kept calling me Echo."

Who was she? Where did this new attitude come from? This wasn't the sweet kind friend Lion-O knew. She was a monster.

"Just stop it Erica!" Lion-O said. "You don't need to do this. Don't you remember how happy you used to be with us?"

Erica frowned. "I was happy until that bitch you call a girlfriend called me out. You know, maybe I should tie you up so you can watch while I skin that bitch alive."

Lion-O was taken aback by her choice of words.

"Honestly," Erica continued. "You can do better than that bipolar schizo. One minute she's happy. The next she wants to rip out your throat. Talk about doing a complete one-eighty."

"Don't do something you won't regret." There has to be a way to get through to her. Underneath all that hate and anger, Echo was in there. Not this Erica he has come to known.

Erica laughed. "You are by far the most ironic person I have ever met."

She let go of his arm. She lifted him higher until they were face to face.

"It's a shame that you don't know how you keep contradicting yourself. Now want to be friends again? I doubt you had that in mind when you used Omens on me. I still have the scar you know. Something like that never goes away. What would it take for you to understand what I went through and the mistakes you've made? Do I have to break your bones? Do I have to lock you in a room with no lights? Or how about time ending? Maybe then your false heart would start."

Grabbing his mane, Erica brought his face closer.

"Remember this Lion-O. I own you. Everything you have done to me, all the pain you have caused me, it was because of you. You made the mistake of making me the enemy. Your mind, body and soul belong to me. I will destroy every last one of them until you are nothing more than corpse with its head cut off."

Erica leaned forward and kissed him.

Again. She did again. And just like before, there was no love to it. But he did have to admit. It was different than when Pumyra kissed him.

And he did like different.

Breaking their lips away, Erica smiled and waved her hand. Lion-O was thrown back, tumbling until he stopped.

There was a static in the air. There was a tear in the air.

"Until next time."

Erica jumped into the tear.


	18. Scream My Name

**Hey guys! How are you all doing today?**

**Welcome back to another chapter!**

**As many of you know, I was absolutely pleased with WAR's latest update to Rise Out of the Ashes. Go Erica! **

**I really wanted to go into the mind of Erica at this moment. Here, she was at her most vulnerable. Her feelings broke the Façade she kept. And to do this, I used the song Scream My Name by Tove Lo from the Mockingjay soundtrack. Seriously, go listen to it. I know the lyrics means that if Erica were to die (don't do it WAR!) but I decided to switch it around and say that Erica will make them scream her name because of the pain she will inflict on all of them.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Breathe and balance and love, I was born on the scene_  
_Now it runs in my blood, yeah, you know what I mean_  
_When I'm dead and gone, will they sing about me?_  
_Dead and gone, will they scream my name?_  
_Scream my name_

Tove Lo.

* * *

It felt damn good what she did.

Just the look on his face was enough to ensure that she meant what she said to him.

One by one, she will kill those who are close to him. She will rip apart his world piece by piece. She was not one to go against her promise. He deserved everything he got. And she just smiled in delight watching him struggle.

Especially now since she stabbed Pumyra.

Erica wondered if Pumyra felt the same pain she had when Omens was used against her. In truth, Erica used a lot of force to skewer Pumyra. Lion-O used only a little force but it was enough to cause pain. Erica wanted them both to suffer. She wanted them to feel the same pain she felt.

And it seemed she got what she wanted.

Hearing the puma scream was music to her ears. If she could, Erica would stab her more times, but that wouldn't be fun now would it? Why waste such time killing someone who was going to die soon.

The best part of it was seeing Lion-O's reaction. He just stood there with his mouth agape in shock, eyes wide in horror.

She always kept her promises.

Jerking her sword out of the cat, Erica let her drop to the ground. Blood was gushing out of the wound. It was a dark shade of crimson, almost black. Pumyra struggled for air. Already, she was losing color in her face.

When Erica was stabbed, she had enough strength to stand and ask Markata about her past. But with Pumyra, Erica made sure to use enough force to cause the cat to bleed out in a matter of seconds. If by chance Pumyra _does _survive… well, Erica would just have to use more force. Maybe twist the sword like she did with Lion-O.

Behind Lion-O - who was still standing there like an idiot – the Myst was beginning to break away from the roots.

Now or never.

She walked, or rather, limped towards the dragoon. Lion-O finally was out of his state of shock and ran to Pumyra.

As she limped, Erica watched the lion. She had never seen him like that before. Well, except for when his father died. This look was one of pure horror. He was watching another person he cares about die. He sure didn't look like that when Erica was bleeding out in Avista. Then again, he stabbed Echo, not Erica. The scars were still there. A constant reminder of what he did and how he was a liar.

And now he got his just deserts. And eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a stab for a stab.

It was painful, limping to the dragoon. Once she got the essence, she would ask Markata to heel her leg.

When they passed each other, for a moment, time slowed.

Erica glanced at him.

Blue azure eyes. His shocking red mane. Before, she liked looking at them. Actually, she liked just looking at him. The times they spent together, she would admire him. He was different than all the other cats. He treated her like she was normal, not just some freak of nature that showed up out of nowhere. She liked the way his eyes shone in determination. She liked it how, in the dark with the faintest of light, his eyes almost glowed.

And his mane. Oh how many times she wanted to run her fingers through it. Bury her face in it while hugging him while he was embracing her. Just the two of them.

That was before.

This was now.

When they passed each other, Erica gripped her sword tight as she approached the dragoon. Just like with Ramlak, one quick stab to where the essence was, and it would be hers. Already two.

Myst was already breaking free. She had to act quickly.

It wouldn't be enough just for her to kill the thing, not with her being weak.

Letting go of the sword, Erica moved it with her mind. It zoomed right at the dragoon, penetrating the area where the essence was.

And explosion of light came from the dragoon.

The essence was hers.

She turned to see Lion-O cradling Pumyra in his lap.

Another reason to hate him. That should be her.

It was she who he should be worried about. Not that puma.

A part of her wanted nothing more than to yank them apart mentally.

Pumyra didn't deserve Lion-O's love.

Erica wished that if things had been different, maybe Lion-O could have…

Who was she kidding? It would never work out now that she knows the truth about him. They were fire and ice. Oil and water.

In the end, Erica had succeeded in collecting the essence.

But her mission was not done.

She wanted the Thundercats to scream her name in fear as she kills them.

The satisfaction of hearing it would please her.

She would make them scream her name.

_Scream my name, Thundercats. Scream my name._


	19. The Forgotten Holiday

**Happy Halloween ghosts and ghouls!**

**I'll admit, I was going to wait until WAR posted a new chapter so I could post a new chapter. But with it being Halloween, I decided why not.**

**Now, for this chapter, there won't be a song. The next chapter will have a song, though.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_Echo leaned back onto the log she sat against, listening to Kit and Kat as the kittens told the crew a ghost story. It was a simple story about a lonely ghost who wandered a forest, looking for someone to talk to. Everyone was amused by their tale. Well… except for Panthro. Who knew such a big cat could be so scared of ghosts. Just even mentioning one made him shiver in fright._

_After the kittens finished their story, Panthro went back to his regular self: a big intimidating cat of war._

"_Alright." Panthro said. "No more stories. I don't need a reason to sleep with one eye open."_

_Tygra chuckled. "Come on big guy. It's just a story."_

"_Don't care. Just seeing an enemy you can't fight is frightening."_

"_Come now, Panthro," Cheetara spoke. "The Clerics have been taught that spirits cannot bodily harm a living person. It's only demons that can cause harm."_

"_Oh great!" Panthro exclaimed. "Another thing to be scared of."_

_Ghosts, demons. This was definitely an interesting conversation they were having. _

_Tracing the dirt with her finger, Echo drew what might have been a ghost. It was a sort of silly design in which the 'ghost' was nothing more than a childish drawing of a blob. She knew ghosts did have a transparent form – a form of what they looked like when they were alive – but it was hard to draw that on dirt. Maybe she could draw it in her journal. That is, if she can find more ink at a small town that sold it. _

_Frowning at her poorly drawn ghost, Echo swiped it away. _

_Glancing to her side, Lion-O seemed invested in what the other cats were talking about. She never knew that he liked the idea of the supernatural. Technology yes. Their long hours of taking apart and putting back together a certain machine part. But not once had they discussed anything regarding the beyond._

_As matter of fact, Kit and Kat's tale of the lonely ghost stirred something in her mind. It was faint, barely tangible. Echo tried to reach for it, but only wisps of the memory lingered while the rest faded away. _

_Yes. She could recall something. It wasn't a full memory, but it was something._

_Echo replayed the faint memory in her head._

""_Something on your mind?"_

_Lion-O's voice startled her. Looking at him, he was smiling in amusement. _

"_You're smiling."_

_Had she? The faint memory did bring her joy. Not only had she did she remember something, but it was something fun._

"_It's… a bit weird." Echo said._

"_What's it about?" Lion-O asked._

"_I'm not sure how to describe it. Let alone if it's something of my own imagination."_

"_Come on, Echo." Kit sat next to her. "Tell us! Is it a scary story?" Kit raised her arms and started wiggling her fingers. "OOoooOOoooOOOOoO"_

"_I said: Not another scary story." Panthro stated._

_Was her memory scary? No._

"_I don't mind. But it's not scary. However, it does sort of involve monsters."_

"_Yes! Monsters!" Kat jumped with glee and sat next to his sister, both staring up at Echo with anticipation. "Tell us."_

_She cast a look at Panthro. He had a look that could combust a tree on fire._

"_Don't worry. I promise you the story isn't scary."_

_Panthro huffed. He relaxed more._

_Perfect._

"_Okay." Echo started. "When the kittens mentioned ghosts, and when Cheetara brought up demons, I remembered something. About my past."_

"_Really?" Cheetara asked._

"_It's not a full memory. But it's something."_

"_What is it?" Lion-O leaned in._

_Echo cleared her throat._

"_Okay. From what I could gather from my memory, there used to be a holiday humans celebrated. I don't know where it originated from, but from what I could remember, humans believed in spirit and monsters like you guys do. On a certain day, once a year, the monsters and spirits would wander the world, scaring the humans. They lived in fear of what went bump in the night. Until one day, the people had had enough of the monsters. So they decided to dress up in costumes to scare away the monsters."_

"_Costumes?" Tygra asked skeptically._

"_SHH!" Kit and Kat shushed him._

"_Anyway," Echo continued. "The people would dress up in costumes that made them look like monsters. They would gather around their town and chase away the monsters. This became a tradition that would continue on for who knows how many years."_

"_So the humans believed in the supernatural." Cheetara asked._

"_Kind of." Echo relied. "Mind you, the story was from a long time ago before technology was even invented."_

"_Seems kind of weird if you ask me." Tygra spoke. "I get the idea, but why not fight the monsters. Spirits are hard to fight, but I'm sure you humans had weapons."_

"_Because it wouldn't have been fun." Echo stated. "Besides, it was because of that tradition, something happened. Something the children had made up."_

_By now, all the cats were listening to what she was saying._

"_As the tradition went on, the children had come up with their own idea. On that specific day, the children would dress up as monsters and would go door to door of their fellow neighbors and ask them for sweets, or else they would play some sort of trick on the person. As the years went on, this became the new tradition for children. I don't remember the name of this holiday, but every year, on that day, children would dress up in various costumes, some scary; some cute; and would go to different houses and ask for candy. They would say 'trick or treat!' and hold out a bag. The grown-ups would hand them some candy and the kids would go to a different house. At the end of the night, all the children would have a bag full of sweets. It was also a holiday the grown-ups could enjoy as well. Like the children, they would dress up for the fun of it. Some would even go to costume parties."_

"_Sounds like fun." Lion-O said, smiling._

"_It was. I don't remember if I ever participated in the holiday, but I love the idea of it. For one night, the monsters would come out and ask for candy."_

"_That sounds so cool!" Kit chirped. "We should dress up as monsters and scare the ghosts away."_

"_And get sweets!" Kat added._

_Echo could see them getting an endless supply of candy fruit._

"_You humans sure have some weird holidays." Tygra stretched his arms over his head. "Well, I'm gonna sleep now. We have a long day ahead tomorrow."_

_Cheetara, Panthro, and the kittens went to their bedrolls._

"_Are you staying up?" Lion-O asked._

_Echo nodded. _

_The two of them looked up at the sky. It was a clear night, stars scattered sparsely across the ink black sky. _

_It was nice, having Lion-O be there next to her. He was probably the only person who made her feel sane._

"_What did you think of my story?" She wanted to know what went through his mind. "Was it weird? I know humans and animals are different, as is their holidays."_

"_Don't listen to what Tygra said." Lion-O reached out and patted her shoulder. "I did meant what I said earlier. It sounds like fun. And I'm sure the other species on Third Earth have their own holidays as well."_

_He let go of her shoulder and Echo wished he would put his hand back there. _

"_Thanks," she said, "for not making fun of it. Or me. It's nice to know there's someone who doesn't think I'm a freak of nature."_

"_You're not a freak. You're different. And you're you. If it helps, when we defeat Mumm-Ra, we can celebrate that holiday. The two of us with the kittens."_

"_Hehe, we should."_

* * *

"Markata?"

Markata looked up from his desk and saw Erica coming up to him. "Yes?"

"By any chance do you remember a holiday us humans used to celebrate? It involved costumes and candy."

"Why ask, soldier?"

"…just because."

He didn't believe her. The way she hesitated at the last second.

"It's called Halloween. It's celebrated at the end of October."

"Thank you, sir." Erica bowed and exited his chamber.

As she went back to her room, Erica remembered the words from that liar. "_If it helps, when we defeat Mumm-Ra, we can celebrate that holiday. The two of us with the kittens"_

Except they won't be celebrating it. Not after she kills him.

When he is sleeping, in the dark, she will come from the shadows and kill him.

Erica wasn't lying when she said monsters go bump in the night.


	20. Red Queen

**Hey guys!**

**So recently, I've started brainstorming about more ideas for_ Remnants_. Keep in mind, most of these chapters, while being related to the story, does not mean it's a continuation of where WAR left off in the recent chapter of _Rise Out of the Ashes. _Meaning that when WAR posts a chapter, I'll see if I can somehow write a story in regards to the chapter. Which is why the most recent chapters have been different.**

**Take for example this chapter. It more or less gives Erica some sort of past. A very violent and bloody past.**

**What makes this chapter more interesting, is that it was inspired by the 2013 remake of _Carrie._**

**Also, as for the song, it's _Destroy Everything You Touch _by Ladytron.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Everyone had a reason to fear the girl.

She was…. Different.

Different in the sense that she wasn't like them.

They had fur, claws. Some had tails, some didn't.

She didn't have any of that. She was plain looking. Pale skin, blondish hair, and light blue eyes.

Who is she? What is she?

They all surrounded her in a circle. There she stood in the center, not moving, looking at the ground. Looking at the dead corpse.

It was a cat. A puma, specifically. His dead eyes stared at nothing and everything. Blood continued to flow out of his throat, a deep gash from ear to ear.

The girl held the bloodied knife, gripping it hard her knuckles turned white. The front of her combat outfit was covered in blood. She let go of the knife.

Finally, she looked up.

The animals stepped back.

She was smiling.

Above, the lights flickered. Some of them even moved as if it were caused by the wind. Even though they were inside a building.

The air felt heavy, as if something was pressing in on them.

Something bad was going to happen.

It was confirmed when the blood on the girl began to rise off of her.

Before anyone could move, the girl screamed.

All the animals were pushed back by something. It felt almost like a tidal wave. An invisible force shoving everyone and everything across from her.

By now, the animals rushed away from her, heading to the open doors that lead to freedom.

As the first animal reached the door, it slammed shut on him, hitting him square in the nose, breaking it.

Everything was in chaos. Objects were floating and flying to their own accord. No one knew why.

A tiger narrowly avoided having his head hit by a flying piece of cinder block. A bird tried to fly away only to have his wings break and slammed down to the ground.

One animal, a sort of fish man, ran at the girl with a knife, hoping to kill her.

The girl turned her head towards him. Still smiling. The fish man was pushed back, his knife flying out of his hand. He had no time to register what happened as the knife stabbed him in the heart.

As the fish man slumped down, the girl looked up at the lights.

The lights snapped away from their wires and came raining down on the animals. Some dodged them. Others were not so lucky.

Something caught her eye. Two rats, a man and a woman, running towards a set of doors, holding hands.

The rats nearly made it to the door when they were pushed to the ground by some unknown force. They tried to stand, only to be pushed back on the ground again, this time unable to push themselves up. The other animals didn't notice them. The rats cried out in pain as they were stepped over, their bones breaking from the stampede of animals. Finally, they both stopped crying in pain.

She wasn't pleased. There wasn't enough death. Something was missing.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small bomb. Pushing a button, she threw it behind her.

_BOOM!_

The blast of the bomb shook the building. The animals covered their ears.

Taking advantage of their sudden delirium, the girl focused behind her. Though she didn't turn around, she knew a giant piece of a wall was being lifted. The giant peace was thrown into the crowd. The girl smiled when she heard the crunch of bones.

Now she was pleased. There was no reason to be here anymore.

She began to rise from the ground. Slowly but steadily, she floated across the chaos beneath her. A window high on a wall shattered. The girl exited the building.

After making sure she was a safe distance away from the burning building, she slowly descended to the ground.

She could still hear their screams of terror. Focusing on the building, she drown out the cries of the animals.

Suddenly, the building collapsed. The screams were silenced.

Pleased, the girl began walking down the road.

As she walked, more and more building she past began collapsing on their own. Some even burst into flames.

She reached the end of the small town. She watched from a hill as the town burned.

Leave no survivors. That was the mission.

And she had completed it.

A hand fell on her shoulder. Looking up, Markata patted her shoulder.

"Good job Erica. Now we must leave."

They both turned and walked back to the small transport ship.

Buckling into her seat, Erica felt the ship rise off the ground. She looked out the window. In the dark of the night, the town glowed.

And she realized: She was still smiling.


	21. Persona

**Hey guys! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!**

**So for this particular chapter, I have decided to meddle with some stuff. Specifically, a video game series that I absolutely love: The **_**Shin Megami Tensei, **_**otherwise known as the Persona series.**

**I know the idea of mixing Thundercats, specifically WAR's story with the Persona series, but why not? After doing some thinking, I came up with the idea of Erica having a persona.**

**Now, for this chapter, I did meddle with how Persona works, specifically how Erica chose the Tarot cards and her Persona, Adrasteia.**

**As for the song, it's titled: The Battle for Everyone's Souls. Which also belongs to the Persona series.**

**I do not own anything of the Persona series and the quotes belong to the creators and writers of Persona.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"You know, this is getting kind of boring."

Lion-O barred his fangs at Erica, who stood nonchalant from a distance. She looked bored. Her blue eyes looking around the environment instead of him. She even wiped the blade of her sword against her uniform, wiping away some blood.

"I was hoping this fight would be more exciting. But I guess some things get boring after a while. Too bad."

Acting fast, Lion-O charged at her, ready to swing Omens.

Erica simply sidestepped him and as he was about to spin around to face her, something pushed him. Hard.

Damn her mental powers.

"This is what I mean," she continued, "we go at it like madmen and nothing gets accomplished. I get cut, you get cut. I get a broken bone, you get a broken bone. It's all the same. Maybe I've been expecting too much from you recently. Instead, I got a worthless king who can't even control his kingdom, let alone a few animals. A king that doesn't know even how to act like one. What a pity."

"Shut up!" Lion-O roared. "I know what I'm doing!"

"Do you? Because all I see is a kitten trying to fight me with a wooden sword. You are in no position to be acting like a king, Lion-O."

Steadying himself, Lion-O took a fighting stance, ready to pounce on her the second he got the chance.

"Although," Erica started, "I do like it when it's just the two of us. Alone. With no one watching us. It's kind of intimate, if you think about it. Two warriors – friends - fighting to the death. With no one interrupting us. Who knows, this moment in history could be included in one of those epics in the Thunderian library. Romantic, isn't it?"

She smiled while she said this.

"Just what are you trying to say?" Lion-O asked, confused on how she turned their battle into some kind love story.

"Oh nothing." She responded, shrugging her shoulder. "The thought just came to mind. Don't take it seriously, liar. Now, let's try to make this battle more interesting, shall we?"

Erica seethed away her sword. Lion-O kept his guard as she drew some type of gun. It wasn't like Tygra's energy gun. This one was silver, with a black handle. It was rather plain looking. Nothing bold stood out of it.

"I've been meaning to try this for quite some time." Erica held the gun out, glinting in the sunlight. "Markata said it would help. And I've seen it in action. Just not when it comes to fighting, I mean. Boy are you in for a surprise when I use it. Trust me, it had that effect on me. Let's see if Omens has any power over it."

It? What did she mean? The gun? Lion-O nearly chuckled at the thought of a gun defeating him. Omens was far more powerful than just some messily gun. Plus, he had the war and power stone to block whatever that gun shot.

He had expected her to point the gun to him.

However, Erica brought the end of the gun to her temple.

"Erica!" Letting Omens fall to his side. "Don't!"

Though he knew she had to die… a part of him didn't want it to happen. She was such a mystery. What kind of affect did she have over him? Why did she make him feel things he never felt when he was with Pumyra? He didn't know. But he knew Erica couldn't die until he got her answer.

As he was running to her, Erica just laughed.

He stopped in his tracks. A bluish fog was enveloping her.

"PERSONA!"

Erica pulled the trigger.

* * *

"_You wanted to see me Markata?"_

_Erica stepped inside a room that was nearly pitch black, save for a single light bulb in the center of the room. Markata stood behind a small table, his hands behind his back._

"_Come Erica. I have something to show you."_

_She approached him, noticing something on the table. When she reached the table, there was a stack of cards._

"_What I'm about to do," Markata spoke, "may seem odd. But I'm sure you will like the end results." Markata chuckled. He grabbed the deck of cards and spread them out on the table. There were twenty-one cards._

"_Pick one."_

_Erica gave Markata a "are you serious' look, in which Markata replied with a reassuring smile. _

_Sighing, Erica looked at the cards. She was about to pick a card at the end… but decided against it. She decided to pick one near the middle… but withdrew her hand._

"_There is no right or wrong card." Markata said. "Just pick one."_

_Finally, she picked a card that was near the left end. She flipped the card over._

_Her eyes widened as she let the card drop, taking a few steps back._

"_What's the matter, Erica?" Markata stepped around the table and picked up the card. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a card."_

_Erica met his gaze with fear. Why did she have to pick _that _card? Out of all the others, why that one?_

"_I believe this is yours." Markata held out the card._

_She took the card with a shaking hand. She looked at it once more._

_The Death card._

"_Do not fear." Markata said. "The Death Arcana does not mean actual death. It means the death of something. A partnership, friendship, relationship. It means the end, or death, of something. But, it also means metamorphosis, a change, regeneration, cycles. Being reborn. Does that sound familiar?"_

_It did. When she became Erica Riley. When Echo 'died.'_

"_What does this mean?" She asked. "What does this tarot reading have to do with anything?"_

"_Believe me child. It does. But it isn't over yet. Pick another card."_

_Sighing, Erica picked one card._

_This particular card had a woman holding a sword, along with a balance._

"_The Justice Arcana." Markata said. "Fits you just well."_

"_Can you please tell me what the hell this is about?" Erica asked. "I'm getting more confused by the second. No cryptic bullshit from you or anyone!"_

_Markata simply smiled. "The answer lies with this."_

_He pulled out a gun from one of his pockets. "This is what you need to summon your Persona."_

"_My who?"_

"_Your Persona, Erica. The tarot cards you've chosen have allowed you understand what you are as a person. Death. You've been reborn anew with different goals than when you were Echo. Justice. You have a clear understanding of judgement and revenge. You seek justice, retribution for what that lion did to you. These two cards… are you."_

_Erica looked at the cards again. What Markata said was true. She was reborn. She wanted justice. _

"_Now," Markata handed her the gun, "now that you have chosen the cards, it's time for your Persona to be summoned. Your Persona is an aspect of who you are as a person and how you are perceived as others. You are Death and Justice."_

"_So what does that have to do with this gun?" Taking the gun from Markata, Erica examined the gun. It looked like a regular gun. It was silver and had a black handle._

"_Simple." Markata said. "Shoot yourself in the head."_

_The clatter of the gun hitting the floor echoed through the room. When he said to shoot herself, Erica felt numb with shock, hence why she dropped the gun._

"_W-w-what?"_

"_Do calm yourself. This gun will not kill you. And I did revive Pumyra. I can do the same with you. Now, shoot yourself."_

_This was insane. Why would he ask her to possibly kill herself! What was he thinking? Though the idea sounded insane, Markata has yet to give her doubt. He rescued her. She was Erica Riley because of him._

_Erica picked up the gun with trembling hands. She looked back at Markata, who only nodded in encouragement. _

_Lifting the gun to her head, Erica heard a soft voice. She didn't know if Markata heard it, but the voice resonated through her head. _

_**I am thou. Thou art I**_

"_Persona." Erica whispered._

_She pulled the trigger._

* * *

"PERSONA!"

Lion-O had expected to see blood. He didn't, which was odd.

Instead of blood, it looked like glass shattered out of the side of her head.

The bluish fog moved behind her. The blue fog began to expand up into the air. It towered over them both, at least twenty feet.

Then, the fog dissipated.

In its place was a woman. Or what looked like a woman. She was wearing a mask. The left side was silver and the right side was red. A blindfold covered where the eyes were supposed to be. The hair, a mousy brown, ran up to her elbows. It wore a simple blue dress. On her left hand, she held a balance and in her right hand was sword and a shield stood against her legs.

Lion-O was at a loss for words at what he saw. Who, or better yet, _what _is that?

"_The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed_." The woman spoke, her soft, soothing and velvety voice echoed through the area. "_To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty..._"

The woman held her balance in the air.

Instincts kicked in and Lion-O held his gauntlet in front of him. The Spirit stone and covered him in a shield. On cue, a lightning bolt struck the shield. The force of the bolt caused the shield to falter and Lion-O was pushed back.

He stared at the woman and Erica with disbelief. That thing broke his shield. Nothing could break it.

Erica smirked at his dismay. "What's wrong, liar? Tired already?"

Lion-O steadied himself. Angry, the War stone lit up and Lion-O held out Omens. A powerful red beam shot out of it and went straight for Erica.

The shield that was against the woman's feet moved in front of Erica. The beam hit the shield. When the beam dissipated, the shield was still intact. No damage was taken from the War stone. The shield moved back to the woman and Erica was still smiling.

"_The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate..._" The woman spoke. "_Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end. It matters not who you are... Death awaits you_"

She began to glow. Erica took some steps back until she was against the woman's legs. The shield moved again, covering Erica.

Seeing his opportunity to attack the woman, Lion-O aimed Omens at her, the War stone lighting up. The red bean hit the woman.

…Or rather, the beam bounced off the woman.

Lion-O jumped out of the way. The beam scorched the ground.

"Now you see, liar." Erica stepped around the shield. "Justice and Death await you. What you have done to me is unforgivable. I was your friend. Yet you didn't hesitate to try and kill me. And because of that, I was reborn. And now I want justice for what you did to me. I won't stop until you are dead. Until I have justice."

The same blueish fog as before enveloped the woman and she disappeared.

A tear in the air appeared behind Erica and she stepped back into it.

"The arcana is the means by which all is revealed." Erica said before she tear closed.


	22. It's Ok

**Hiay! Back with another chapter.**

**So recently, I watched a book trailer for a book called _Passenger_ and the trailer screamed Erica and Lion-O. Two lovers in going through time. I loved it! So here I am with a new chapter.**

**The song used for this chapter is _It's Ok_ by Tom Rosenthal. (Listen to the song while reading. Trust me.)**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**_Keep me here_**  
**_My heart is near_**  
**_My love has gone away _**  
**_Tell me true_**  
**_My heart is new _**  
**_My love has gone away_**

-**Tom Rosenthal**

* * *

_Lion-O pried open the panel from a piece of machinery. What it was, he didn't know. How it worked, he was going to find out soon. He set aside the panel to the side of his work bench._

_He held the machine close to the candle. Inside, he could see wires. Some green, some blue, and some red. All tangled together in a mess. It was impossible to tell which wire went where or how to untangle them. A challenge he would accomplish._

_Using his hands, he began to carefully and slowly untangle the wires. Unfortunately, this proved to be a difficult task. After about ten minutes of no success, he set aside the machine. He sighed in defeat, leaning back against the chair, looking out his window. It was past midnight. Everyone else, except for the guards, were asleep. He knew he should sleep since he has war practice tomorrow. Which was dreadfully boring. Just looking at a map of Thundera with small figurines of soldiers and enemies. That stuff never interested him in the slightest. Yes, it was important for him to learn about war tactics, but Tygra was far better at tactics than he will ever be. _

"_Some king I'll turn out to be," he muttered to himself. Would he even make a good king, let alone a decent king? The throne and Sword of Omens would soon fall into his hands along with Thundera and its citizens. He will soon take his father's place. It was something he couldn't escape from._

_A stark of red in the corner of his eyes caught his attention. There was a red velvet curtain where his door used to be. It covered the entire wall._

_Where did it come from?_

_Standing from the chair, Lion-O stepped to the curtain. He pushed it open, revealing a balcony and sunlight. It looked over the garden. And on the balcony, was… Echo. She was dressed in all black. A different look for her but she looked relatively the same._

_Her back was to him. It wasn't until he stood beside her when she looked up at him._

_She was so alien to him. A human. Not once did he ever hear any cat said anything about humans. Just what is a human? What makes them different?_

_They stared deeply into each other's eyes. Her sky blue eyes were almost hypnotizing. They were a lighter shade than his teal eyes. She looked… did he want to say the word? Beautiful. Her white hair blew against a soft wind._

_Echo gave him a small smile. Lion-O smiled back at her. Forget the war lesson. Forget the machinery. He will spend the day with Echo._

_Just as he was about to say something… __**BOOM!**_

_Echo swiftly looked to her side, as did Lion-O._

_The scene was different. Instead of the balcony, he was now in the streets of Thundera. Around him was destruction. Homes completely destroyed. Fire spreading through the other buildings, smoke pillars rising high to the sky._

_He turned back to Echo… only she was gone._

_Frantic, Lion-O ran through the streets. He stopped dead in his track when he saw her._

_Echo was looking up at the palace. This time, she was dressed in blue. Her face showed fear and worry. The fire glistened in her eyes. Then her expression shifted into determination. She took out her swords and ran off._

_Lion-O reached out, as if to call her, beckon her over to where he was._

_The scene changed again. He was inside what looked like a tent. The flap in front of him was slightly open. His arm was still held out when he tried to call Echo. He opened the tent and there was nothing but sand for miles. He did a full three sixty. Not far from him, was the Black Pyramid. What was he doing back here? Then he realized Echo wasn't here again. _

_He was about to call her name when he spotted her. She wore red this time with a black scarf wrapped around her head. Like at the balcony, her back was towards him. She turned around. Lion-O filled in the space between them, stopping about a good few inches away from her._

_Echo smiled at him. This smile was filled with happiness and… was that love? She reached up and cupped the left side of his cheek. She gently rubbed his cheek with her thumb. _

_Lion-O lifted his hand and caressed her hand. He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. She would never leave them. She would never leave _him.

_A cold breeze drifted by._

_He opened his eyes only to see mountains covered in snow. He had his hand against his cheek, where Echo's used to be. She was nowhere in sight. _

_She was gone._

_She was… gone._

_But not for long._

_Lion-O stood with his hand still on his cheek. He could still feel Echo's hand against it. He stayed there, enjoying the moment when Echo was with him._

* * *

**_It's okay_**  
**_I know someday I'm gonna be with you _**  
**_It's okay_**  
**_I know someday I'm gonna be with you_**  
**_It's okay_**  
**_I know someday I'm gonna be with you_**

**_-_Tom Rosenthal**


	23. Red, Orange, Yellow Flicker Beat

**Hey guys!**

**Here I am with an update! Consider this and early Christmas gift or gift in general if you don't celebrate Christmas. We get a little more in depth with Erica when she was asked the billion dollar question. How does she take it? Find out. And what better way to warm you up by including the song Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde (you'll see what I mean).**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

But I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison  
And I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me  
I'm done with it (ooh)

This is the start of how it all ends  
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it  
I'm speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart

\- Lorde

* * *

Erica wondered if Markata had the abilities to read minds. How else would he know so much about what she thought? If he could turn into a decayed mummy and a healthy looking man, maybe he developed some other ability.

_Either that, or I'm easy to read._

It was no secret how she felt about her former friends. The way she felt about Pumyra. She wondered if Markata would get after her for killing his spy. Then again, if she was easy to read, then he would know how she wanted to kill that puma bitch. It didn't matter if Pumyra worked for Markata or not. Erica would kill her. And maybe she did.

All had gone according to plan. Stop the Liar from getting the essence and get it herself. With skewering Pumyra as an added bonus. Markata didn't exactly say she shouldn't kill Pumyra. But the damage was done. Gone was that bitch.

And with Pumyra gone, that left the Liar all to herself. No doubt he will be furious the next time they meet. He might even try to finish the job this time instead of trying to negotiate with her. Not to mention how she freed Grune from the Astral Plane. That should seal the deal on her death from him.

How she loathed him for trying to talk to her by making her relive memories she thought she had forced away. And he had the audacity to strike her when she was confused. Thank God she stopped him in time. He truly is the King of Lies. He is just child in a king's throne. Not knowing how to even act like one. He will soon fall and so will his kingdom.

Erica should have been happy. She finally got her revenge against Pumyra.

But of course, Markata just _had _to ask the billion dollar question: Do you still love him?

_Way to ruin the fun._

It should have been a simple answer. Except it wasn't. Not to her, anyway. The question itself makes her remember the times she was with him. From when she first met him in the palace gardens in Thundera, to what happened in Avista. He was friendly at first, then struck her.

So the answer should have been no.

However, her mind and heart had decided otherwise. Guess Markata didn't kill Echo when she became Erica. A part of Echo must still be inside of her. She didn't care for her former name. Before, she was a weak girl with a cute simple name. Now she was strong and the last time she checked, Erica wasn't a cute name. The name felt right. It was _her._

So why did she have these feelings for that Liar?

If she was being honest with herself, she did enjoy being with the Liar. Before Avista, she liked him. Sure he was a bit of an asshole for betting her off to the Duelist, but he won her trust back by rescuing Sunny. And even then, he treated her like a true friend. Then… the dreaded day in Avista happened.

After… she didn't care. She loved him. And he did that to her.

As far as she could tell, they were no longer friends.

Sighing, Erica got up from her bed and went to one of the drawers in her dresser. She opened the bottom drawer. In an assortment of clothes, a candle laid on top of a stack of black skintight jumpsuits along with matched. It had sounded silly when she asked for the candle and matches, but Markata didn't see it as odd and gave her the items. The candle smelled like vanilla. She took both items from her drawer and closed it with her foot. Setting the candle on her bedside table, she struck a match and held it against the wick. The flame was low but soon began to rise after a few seconds. The aroma of vanilla relaxed her a bit. Just a bit though.

She stared at the flickering flame. The red, orange, yellow colors blending into one. The flame was steady and strong. Just like her.

Markata had said that the Thundercats' lives were in her hands now. She looked down at her right hand, imagining tiny versions of the Thundercats. Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, Pumyra; if she's still alive, and the Liar. With her left hand, the covered her right hand, lacing her fingers together, making a sort of prison, trapping the cats.

This is how it ends. She would be the one to take them down. Before, when she was still Echo, they used to shout her name. Now that she was Erica, they whisper her name as if it was forbidden. Her heart burned with revenge and retribution. Her heart sparked with the flames of her candle. The red, orange, yellow flicker beat in her heart.

Erica would get her revenge. Even if it meant she would burn the world in red, orange, yellow flames.


	24. Ship to Wreck

**Hey guys! Dark here with another update. **

**This took me a while to do because I wasn't sure how Erica would say her feelings. But thankfully I got the inspiration to continue and here we are. This chapter was inspired by the song Ship to Wreck by Florence + the Machine.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Erica stared up at the ceiling, hands behind her head and her knees up with one leg crossed over the other. It had been one of those nights where those pesky thoughts would wander into her mind and never leave. She'd tried to keep herself busy, but there was little to do in the middle of the night. Other than calling Sunny she could pet his fur, all she did was stare at the ceiling. Maybe she could sneak out and practice her telekinesis. But then she would be tired in the morning and Markata would ask why. Technically, he never gave her – or anyone for that matter – a curfew. Though she didn't want Markata to think she was doing something she wasn't supposed to, like sneaking out. So she vetoed the idea. Sunny was in the corner of the room, rolled up into a ball. He was in sleep mode, meaning that he would only wake up when the sleep mode ended in the morning or if Erica simply tapped him. He'd done so much for her these past few months and all she did was push him away. At times, she did allow him to be close to her. She even allowed him to cuddle with her when she repaired his hand that lizard broke a while back. And that time when she was watching the sunset and he was nestled on her lap. He deserved to rest.

Sighing, Erica knew there was only one way to get rid of those pesky thoughts. And she sure as hell didn't like it. But what choice did she have?

"Okay," she said out loud to no one in particular. "I'm sure this all started when we first met."

The Palace Garden would always be a part of her memory. After all, it was there when she met him. That alone would set off a chain reaction to come.

"I'll admit, it was strange seeing him. I mean, I've seen other cats, different types even. But never a lion. Of course, I had seen a lion in my dream when Sunda took me into the palace. But that was different. It was a dream, not in real life. So it was strange, yet surprising to meet a lion. And he was the only person…cat around that was my age.

"Then we became friends after I was introduced to his father. It was nice that he didn't see me as some strange creature. Well, he never did meet a human before. He didn't even know what a human was. I guess he was curious about me. At least he was friendly and more open than most of the cats. It was hard trying to make friends when I had no memory of who I was. Not to mention I didn't have much of anything to do except go through several books with Sunda. His friendship was sincere. It never felt fake. He truly did care for me the way a friend would do."

Something Erica noticed before Thundera fell was that Lion-O never did have friends. The guards would bow to him, the servants would go to him and ask him if he needed anything. Even when they ventured into the city, the citizens would make room for him to pass by. He never did have time to socialize with other cats. When it was just the two of them, he would drop the façade of a prince destined to rule one day into the laid back cat she knew. They would talk almost all the time. He was even there for her when she couldn't sleep and would talk until she felt her eyelids felt tired and went back to her room. Always together, even when he got fleas from a Cat and she was on shave duty for a while.

"Then Thundera fell." Erica continued. "For a while, he didn't seem like himself. He… changed into someone else. Not the same friend I knew. We even argued. Our first argument. I'd thought I'd lost him forever, especially when he was so dead set on helping that psycho captain Tunar kill the Ramlak. I'm glad he was finally able to see his errors and rescue me from drowning.

"After, things were good. Except for when I went a bit psycho on them when I found out the Book of Omens wouldn't tell me shit about my past. Fuck you Book of Omens. I apologized to everyone and they accepted it. I was more grateful that Lion-O had accepted my apology. If he hadn't, I'm not sure what I would do.

"Even though we made up, I was still in a sour mood. Lion-O did his best to try and cheer me up by taking me to the merchant town. Only to have him bet me off to the Duelist. Thanks Lion-O. Of course, he won me back, along with Omens. But even as we got back to the campsite, it hurt me that he would simply do that to me. Eventually, I forgave him when he rescued Sunny. Again, life was good."

Erica knew what memory was coming up next.

"…Then I found out that I served Markata. It was one hell of a shock to discover that. Thankfully Lion-O and Tygra didn't find out. Even after we escaped the Astral Plane and fought against Grune, I wasn't sure what to do. I served the enemy we were fighting. The tattoo on my wrist was a conformation. I decided then to keep it a secret. Not the best idea, but I would do anything to keep my secret."

And look what that did.

"It felt wrong keeping it a secret. A part of me wanted to tell Lion-O, but I was afraid he would exile me out of the group. And I didn't want that. But I knew one day I would have to tell him. So when I thought Lion-O had died, I regretted not telling him. If anything, it fueled the anger in me I felt for Markata and his generals. I would've killed them all if I had the chance. Then he came in and rescued me. I was so glad to see him Even though I basically beat him to a pulp.

"I thought things finally got back to normal. Then that stupid bitch Pumyra had stepped into the picture. She had outed me as a traitor. I lost everything. So when the opportunity came for me to try and patch things up with Lion-O, the bastard had tried to kill me. When he did that, I felt nothing. I was numb of all emotions. The only thing though that went through my mind as I was bleeding was why? Why did he do this? Why would he? The answer was simple. I lied to them. He tried to kill me. My best friend tried to kill me. Markata took me away back to the Black Pyramid where I became Erica Riley.

"Now here I am, serving Markata, on a mission. Revenge is my goal. To kill that Liar. If only it was simple. Skewering Pumyra was satisfaction enough. The look on that Liar's face was the best thing I had ever seen. I meant when I said I would destroy everything he ever cared for.

"Looking back, to when I first met him, I built a ship that was bound to be destroyed. I had built a ship to wreck. And look where I am now."

Finishing her monologue, the pesky thoughts vanished.

Finally. With her head clear, she turned to her side and fell asleep.


	25. No Care

**Hey guys!**

**Here I am to present you another chapter! Woo! **

**I find it sad how Lion-O and Erica have problems that interferes with their love. You know they do care for one another, but it's never simple for them, is it?**

**Maybe this would explain a few things. Song used is No Care by Daughter.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

She is a girl covered in blood.

He is the boy covered in blood.

The girl was bleeding from the stomach. At first, the blood flowed out of her would like a torrent river. She rubbed her hand on the wound and brought it to her face. Now her right side was smeared with blood. After a few minutes, the blood started to slow, now a trickle. She wasn't in pain. Standing erect, her face didn't give off any signs of pain.

The boy watched as the human rubbed her face with her blood. She wouldn't be bleeding if it wasn't for him. His sword was matted in her blood. Some of it even managed to get on his clothes and fur. Seeing the blood pour out of her hurt him. He could imagine being in her position, bleeding out until no more blood came out.

In a surprise move, the girl ran to the boy and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and planted a soft kiss on his collar bone. The boy didn't react to the sudden attachment. He stared ahead at the creature he was supposed to be fighting. Shifting his eyes to the girl, he could feel more kisses being planted on his collar. The girl held on tight, not daring to let go. In her mind, she imagined them dancing in a giant ball room. Though in her reverie, she didn't dance, nor did the boy. Her dance was nothing more than a flail. She was even afraid she might hit the boy. So she settled with her arms around him, standing still.

_No care, no care in the world._

_No care, no care in the world._

_I don't care, I don't care anymore._

_I don't care, I don't care._

Her love for him was a state of panic. She enjoyed being in the state because if she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed the rush of it. She loved the hesitance. Two sides which brought pleasure. She wanted just _him_. No other boy mattered. They were two broken instruments. No beautiful sound came from them. Just twisted wheezing. But they could be fixed. The people around them watched; they both were like the early morning sun through the windows.

_I don't care, I don't care anymore._

_I don't care, I don't care._

The girl didn't know what to say to him. Usually, this would be the part where she would confess her love to him, and hopefully he would do the same to her. But she found she was too… numb to say anything. Too numb to fight, say anything at him. If she were to say something, it would hurt him because he knew her feelings towards him. Love. Instead, she kissed his collar more. No words of arguments were spoken in that moment. No fighting words were thrown back between them. As nice as it was to hug and kiss him, she was still a threat.

_No care, no care in the world._

_No care, no care in the world._

_I don't care, I don't care anymore._

_I don't care, I don't care._

The girl removed her head from his collar. She looked at his teal eyes she often lost herself in. They didn't know who moved first, but soon their lips were against each other. The boy wrapped his arms around the girl. In his life, he only kissed one person. The puma. She was head strong, determined, and rough. The girl was different than the puma. Which is why, even though he did enjoy kissing the girl, it wasn't the same. The girl in response knew he was only kissing her because they were in the moment. She could feel the way his hands ran down her spine that he was used to rubbing the puma's back, not hers. She was heavy hearted at the revelation. How she wanted him to promise he would love her. She couldn't speak. It felt like she was choking on broken glass. If she were to speak, she would break them.

So she softly pushed herself away from him, and walked back to the creature she was familiar with from a past she didn't remember.

_No care, no care in the world._

_No care, no care in the world._

_I don't care, I don't care anymore._

_I don't care, I don't care._

If there was anything she could say to fix what was broken between them, she would say it. Whether it be one word or many, she would say them. But it would never be the same with them. Not now. Soon, perhaps. Soon. For now, she didn't care.

_No care, no care in the world._

_No care, no care in the world._

_I don't care, I don't care anymore._

_I don't care, I don't care._


	26. Judgement

**The idea for this chapter came to me when I re-watched the episode where the Thundercats went to the Elephant village, and after re-reading WAR's chapter on it. When Anet said that Echo would interfere with the Sword of Omens, he was right. And now Erica is pissed at him for even mentioning that. How dare he judge her when he doesn't even know her?! So she decides to pay the elephants a visit.**

**I've decided that whenever Erica uses her Persona, The Battle for Everyone's Soul would always play, considering her Persona can basically kill anyone. **

**As usual, I don't own anything. Especially Persona, that belongs to Atlus.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Erica imagined the setting in a desert town. Those old westerns she remembered Markata telling her about. A standoff between two people. Only the sound of the wind blowing against the hot air; a tumbleweed passing by. Only instead of a desert, it was near the elephant village.

And it wasn't between two people. It was her and the elephants. She guessed there was about fifteen of them. Aburn and Anet were among them, standing in the front of the parade. They towered her by several feet. But Erica wasn't intimidated by their size. After all: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. And how she would make them fall hard. She wouldn't even have to use her powers to attack them. She had her gun Markata gave her.

After what felt like an eternity, Anet stepped forward a bit.

"You were with Lion-O, weren't you? Your name is…"

Sighing, Erica shook her head. "It's Erica you dumbass."

"No. I think it was… Echo? Wasn't it. It started with an E."

Out of all the things they could remember, they had to recall her former name. "Echo is gone. It's Erica now. Try to remember that from now on."

Anet craned his head lower to get a good look at her. Instinctively, Erica reached for her swords, but she kept them to her sides. _No swords. No telekinesis. Just my gun._

"You've have changed since the last time we've met." Anet rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Not just physically. What happened to you?"

"I've changed." Erica responded. "Simple as that. Nothing else."

Of course she changed. It was obvious to anyone who has met her. Shorter hair and a need for vengeance. Not just for the Liar, for all the animals for killing her species. Mass genocide. If she could have to power to eradicate them, she would do it. Once she got the essences, Markata would make it happen. She herself has killed many. This wouldn't be the first time. And this wouldn't be the last.

"Listen up," Erica glared at Anet. He stepped back at her stare, as if he could see the anger emitting from her. "You told Lion-O I was interfering with the Sword of Omens. Because I was there with them. And you were right. But if you hadn't said what you said, things might have been different." She curled her hands into fists. "Even so, the outcome would still be the same. But you should have kept your mouth shut. And now, I'm here to make sure you never say another word again."

She expected Anet and the other elephants to react. But they stood there, no emotions were on any of their faces. Anet gave her a sympathetic smile, and damn him.

"Calm yourself child," he began calmly. "I can see your pain within you. But you do not have to become like this. Do not let the judgment cloud your thoughts. Look through the fog and you'll find the path."

_Not good enough. _Erica reached for her gun strapped to her leg.

"Guess what? You don't have the right to judge me. Instead, meet someone who will." She took the gun to the side of her head. "Persona!"

Pulling the trigger, a thin blue fog covered her. As quickly as the fog came, it disappeared, revealing her Persona, Adrasteia.

Adrasteia looked lowered her head to look at the elephants. Though her eyes covered her eyes and the mask covering her face, she stared directly at them.

In response, the elephants didn't react to it as she thought they would. Terrified in awe at the sight of her Persona. Either they were good at hiding their feelings, or maybe this isn't the first time they saw something like this.

"Who's your friend?" Aburn spoke.

For a moment, Erica thought about summoning back Adrasteia. Aburn and Kit were friends. She remembered how Kit played her flute while Aburn listened. Kit even meditated with him. If Erica hurt Aburn…

No. Now wasn't the time to dwell on memories. Kit won't even know Erica was here. And maybe the elephants would forget about her.

"That doesn't matter." Erica said. "What matters is what you have to say to me. Or rather, what you have to say to her." She pointed back to Adrasteia.

Finally, Anet looked somewhat displeased by this. "Please, child. Do not do something you will regret later. It's not you. Don't give into the evil."

_"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed..." _Adrasteia said._ "It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself..."_

Adrasteia lifted her balance to the air. Lighting struck down on the elephants. There a flash of white. Erica had to cover her eyes with her hands. When the flash was gone, she removed her hands from her face. She smiled. The elephants were on the ground, injured and moaning in pain. That'll teach them for judging her.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Erica said smugly. "You don't want to say the wrong thing."

"Child." Anet struggled to get up, using his cane for support. "Think about what you are doing. Please come to your senses before it is too late."

"Guess what. I know what I'm doing. So don't say you know me when you really don't."

_"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed..." _Adrasteia said. _"Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty."_

This time, instead of using the balance, Adrasteia lifted her sword high in the sky. She brought it down to the ground. A giant block of ice appeared. It covered the elephants in a giant cube. The ice shattered. The elephants were now had a blue hue to their wrinkly leather skin, as if they'd been out in the cold with nothing to cover them. Some were even shivering.

"Don't you get it now?" Erica asked. "You may be some type of spiritual leader, but by no means should you have the right to tell me what is right and what is wrong. You know absolutely nothing about what kind of hell I've been through. I've seen pain and death. I've seen people I knew die right before my eyes. My best friend tried to kill me. My life has been a series of sparks and explosions. And I will get revenge for what you animals did to my kind. And I want to kill that Liar. Nothing will stop me."

_"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end. It matters not who you are... Death awaits you."_

Adrasteia raised her sword.

Just before Adrasteia could attack them, Erica's ear piece turned on.

"_Lieutenant."_

Adrasteia lowered her sword. Erica pressed a finger against her ear piece. "Yes Markata?"

"_I've noticed you have decided to have a chat with the elephants. And I understand you went to them without my_ permission."

Damn.

"Just wanted to teach them a lesson, sir." Erica said.

"_As much as I would like for you to kill them, now's not the time. Retreat lieutenant."_

Erica let her hand drop. On cue, a portal appeared behind her. Adrasteia had already disappeared. Erica holstered her gun, turned her back to the elephants and stepped to the portal.

Before she stepped into it, she stopped.

"Remember what I said." She didn't turn to look at them, but she knew they were listening to her. "You have no right to judge me."

She stepped into the portal.

* * *

**Erica was so close to killing them! Not even the most biggest animals can be able to escape the wrath that is known as Erica and her Persona.**

**With Erica having her Persona, I've decided to tweak with a few things based on the skills her Persona has. I wanted for Erica to have a Persona that is basically almost as powerful as Markata. She Adrasteia has electric and ice skills. Hopefully when WAR does an update, I might include a chapter in which the Thundercats fight Erica's Persona instead of just Lion-O. That and we don't know Pumyra's fate. Unless I decide to do a non-canon chapter in which they _All_ fight her. We'll see. **

**Have a good day. **


	27. Scars

**Hey guys!**

**It's been a while hasn't it? Well, school is to blame. Damn you school for giving me an education. :P**

**Anyways, here I am with a new chapter. **

**For the song that inspired me for this chapter is Scars by Tove Lo.**

**As usual, I don't own anything. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

By now, Lion-O was getting used to these kinds of dreams. It didn't faze him when he woke to complete darkness. As far as he could see, there was nothing but pure pitch black darkness. He could somehow see his body when he looked down. Other than that, not much else to see. Usually, he would wander around for a bit then he would wake up. He never knew why he was having this reoccurring dream. It's not like there was anything in the dream specifically that would tell him anything. Unless the darkness was a foreboding sign something bad was going to happen. Which in his case, bad things were already happening. What with Mumm-Ra and… her.

Lion-O began to walk, already wanting to exit out of this strange dream. He never counted how many steps it would take for him to wake. As he walked, he hoped he would see something. This was his dream after all. More than that, he is aware he is dreaming. Shouldn't he think of a door to open to get out of his dream? He tried that one a while ago. No door showed up no matter how much he concentrated. The last thing he needed was giving himself an aneurysm from all the concentration. But it bothered him a lot. His father told him as a child he had a wild imagination. And when he dreamed as a child, it was always filled adventure. So what was happening?

Stopping, he sighed in irritation.

"What's this supposed to mean?" he asked out loud.

"Hey, it's your dream."

The voice startled him enough to make him jump in the air. He knew that voice. Of all the people, why did have to be her?

Turning around, he saw Erica. Erica stood a few feet away from him. She had an impish smile and her arms were behind her back. This was a whole look she had. She was never this way when they met. Erica is ruthless and cruel. Here, she looked playful. Which somehow scary. The look in her eyes didn't look playful. They looked like they could cut steel.

"What are you doing here?" Lion-O shifted into his fighting stance. No way was she going to hurt him.

In response, Erica simply giggled. "Don't you know it's rude to ask questions you already know the answer to?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Like I said silly lion, it's your dream, ergo, you're dreaming about me."

"That's a lie! Why would I?"

"How should I know, I'm just a figment of your imagination. I can't give you the answer. Of course, you could ask the real me, but she'll probably kill you when she sees you. I wonder how she'll do it. Stab you in the stomach. No, that's too easy. Maybe snap all your bones. That's sounds fun. Oh! Or maybe, she'll feed you to a dragon. So many possibilities!" Erica giggled more.

Lion-O couldn't help but take a few steps away from her. He knew she was bent on getting revenge, but she was never this crazy about it.

Seeing him retreating, Erica frowned. "Don't go. It'll get boring here if you leave. Besides, I'll follow you."

She was right. Somehow, she will be there where ever he goes. Even in his dreams.

"Alright," he said. "Why are you… why am I dreaming about you?"

"Hmmmm." Erica paced back and forth. "Do you have something to say to me?"

"No."

"Do you want to kill me in your dreams?"

"…no."

"I think I got it."

His ears perked up. "You do?"

"Yes."

In a flash, Erica was right in front of him. He had no time to react as he got punched in the stomach, hard. Lion-O fell to his knees, coughing, holding his arms around his stomach.

"Bet that hurt didn't it?" Erica loomed over him. The impish smile was gone. Her smile was now of madness. "Here, let me help." She grabbed him by his mane and kneed him in the face. He fell on his back. Blood was gushing out of his nose. Before he could bring a hand up to it, Erica pounced on him. She grabbed his hands and put them over his head.

"There we go. Now you can't hurt me."

Lion-O struggled to get free. But her grip was strong. Strong enough he thought she would break his hands.

"Now we can talk." She said.

"Get off!" Lion-O roared at her. With his strength he tried to wretch his hands away from hers. But she only tightened her grip.

"Don't be mad. Let's just talk."

He barred his fangs at her. He assessed his options. He could try and continue to break free. He was stronger than her, but with his stomach and his nose, he couldn't keep up with her strength. The other option would be to listen to what she has to say.

He stopped struggling.

"There we go." Erica said. "That wasn't too hard was it? Now, onto business. You said you wanted to know why you keep having these dreams."

He nodded.

"Then let's see."

She let go of his hands and stood. She held out his hand to him. He grabbed it and she pulled him up. He thought about attacking her on the spot, but he noticed that they were no longer in darkness. They were in the throne room of the palace. He was looking at his father. No. Not his father was dead. This was a dream. His dream father took the Sword of Omens away from him, saying how he was unfit to take the throne of Thundera. A white flash blinded him and when it was gone, he and Erica were standing at the gates of Thundera, which was now nothing but rubble.

"It's your fault." Erica picked up a piece of rubble with her mind and threw it into another pile of rubble. "You knew what was going to happen. You saw Mumm-Ra. And yet you decided not to tell your father or anyone for that matter. And look what happened because of it."

Lion-O wanted to disagree with her, that the lizards took them by surprise; how no one saw Grune betraying the; how Mumm-Ra was this close to getting the War stone. But a part of him knew he should have told someone.

"All those deaths," Erica continued, "was your fault. Innocent lives lost because you couldn't tell your dad about Mumm-Ra. It's ironic when you think about it. You believed in technology while everyone else shunned you for believing in a fairy tale. And when you had your vision of Mumm-Ra, you thought of it as something that shouldn't be discussed. Because you thought you would be shunned when really, your dad would've believed you. Am I on point?"

Lion-O cast a glance at her. She was right. She was painfully right. "I… I didn't mean to… I was going to tell someone. I was going to…"

Erica shook her head. "No. You weren't. Thundera fell. People died. And it's your fault."

The scene changed. Now they were on a beach. It was the Sand Sea. On the horizon, he could see the fish men's boat and the Ramlak wrapping its tentacles around it.

"And here we have another mistake you've made."

The Ramlak wiped at the boat, cutting it almost in half. The Fishmen were running all over the place.

"If you look closely," Erica said, "you can see who's on the deck, trying to fight a creature who wasn't even involved in your journey."

True to what she said, Lion-O saw himself controlling the steering wheel, forcing what was left into the boat to hit the Ramlak.

"Did it ever occur to you about the others?" Erica asked. "Did you ever think about our safety? I nearly drowned. Hell, the Wily twins could've died. And all you cared about was your stupid obsession with revenge. The funny thing is, we weren't fighting Mumm-Ra. It was your obsession that nearly got us killed. I'll put some blame on the captain for trying to influence you, but like Thundera, this was your fault."

Again, the scene changed.

"Ahh. Here is my favorite part." Erica's voice sounded bitter.

Erica, or rather, Echo had a collar around her neck. The Duelist held the end of the chain. She looked like a slave.

"I didn't matter to you at that moment." Erica said. "You couldn't let the Duelist hurt your pride, so you decided to not only bet Omens, which was fucking stupid, but me also. Was I worth that much to you? Just something to trade off?"

Lion-O could hear the strain in her voice. "I didn't mean to-"

"Yes," she interrupted him, "you did. Do you know what it felt like being his slave? Being his pet? Horrible. I couldn't so much as to speak out loud at the risk of getting punished. I felt like I was nothing. And you did that to me."

Curling his hands into fists, Lion-O couldn't bring himself to look at her, or dream Echo without being reminded of what he did. It was foolish, yeah. But he got her back, along with Omens. But that wouldn't be enough for her.

Having enough at staring at her dream Echo, Erica looked the other way. "Let's continue."

The image of the Duelist and Echo faded away and a new scene came into view.

It was Avista. Erica didn't even have to look at Echo bleeding out on the floor in front of them.

"The grand finale." She said. "There I was. I didn't attack you. I wasn't going to attack you. And look what you did. It hurt a lot. Can you imagine getting your stomach impaled like that? That someone you've loved did that to you."

Love. There was that word again. Lion-O still remembered when Pumyra basically told everyone how Erica felt. How her secret was finally out. He doubt that she was still in love with him. But he remembered how she kissed him when he was trying to get the essence from the Ramlak. Did she still love him?

The scene faded away. They were now back in the darkness.

"What did I just watch?" Lion-O asked.

"All the scars you've made." Erica said. "You've left nothing but pain and destruction in your wake. All the lives you've ended, all the pain you've caused us. Don't you even care?"

"Of course I care."

Erica scoffed. "No you don't. If you cared about anyone, you wouldn't have hurt anyone. Look at what happened to Thundera. It was your fault the citizens died. You nearly killed us when the Ramlak attacked the ship. You sold me. And you nearly killed me."

She lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing the scar from Omens. Lion-O saw a long red scar. Mumm-Ra must have healed her when they left. But his magic may not have been strong enough to make the scar fade.

He was surprised when Erica grabbed his hand and put it against the scar.

"How does it feel?" She asked. "I have to look at myself in the mirror every day and all I see is this scar. This scar you caused. They say time heals all wounds. It doesn't. The scars on my body are a reminder. A reminder of what I did before. I've seen death and destruction. I've seen many things I wish I could forget. But they'll be with me forever. Just like this scar."

She traced the scar with his fingers. There a small bump to it, but other than that, it felt smooth.

She let go of his hand and stepped back. "You did this. These are scars that will never be forgotten."

Lion-O tried to grab her, to tell her how sorry he is for everything. But Erica faded away.

And Lion-O woke.


	28. Beautiful

**Another chapter this fast? Well, I have some free time now so here I am. **

**We've all noticed that Erica seemed to have suicidal tendencies and it is shown at some parts in Rise out of the Ashes and in Dissonance, so I decided to expand further on that. Like I mentioned before, none of this stuff is canon to WAR's story, so keep that in mind.**

**No song for this one though.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Erica Riley stepped over the bones of what used to be a person. A human. She couldn't tell the gender since the hip bone was barely showing from the dirt where it was half buried. The rest of the bones were scattered but still close. The femur was next to the rib cage while the skull was adjacent to the spinal cord. Whoever this person was died a long time ago for the flesh to be completely removed from the skeleton.

Out of habit, Erica lifted the skull with her mind. She always did this when she came across a skeleton, whether it be a human or an animal. The skull hovered right in front of her face. Turning it over, she observed every little detail about it. Maybe it would show how the person died. _Head trauma?_ It wouldn't hurt to guess.

Turns out, she was right. On the back of the skull, she found several cracks. At least she knew what he died from. But the skull didn't say if the human was killed by another human, an animal, or if it was an accident. It didn't really matter. This person was just another casualty.

Erica didn't have to put much pressure to the skull. With all the training she did, she found it easier to crush things without using too much of her power and her concentration. The skull shattered into pieces, all falling to the ground. This was another habit she did with the skulls of animals or humans. It did look crazy. It made her look insane. But she didn't really care. When Markata rescued her from the bomb, she recalled she was smiling while covered in blood. No one wanted to be near her for fear they would end up as one of her victims. She did have a habit of… not being pleasant. One look from her and the person on the receiving end would end up dead.

Stepping over the remains, Erica continued her destination. Earlier, Markata had decided to give her some time to explore the ruined city. There wasn't really much to look at. Everything was grey. Grey clouds, grey buildings, grey everything. Not a single color popping out. In a way, it made the city more presentable. After all, it is abandoned. From where she stood, she could make out the husks of the buildings. Skyscrapers with gaping holes and brick building just waiting to crumble down. Some of the other buildings stood since they were metal and had more support. But even from her vantage point, they were covered in rust. It used to be a metropolitan. Markata had said a brief history of the city. How it was flourishing. But like many other cities, it was soon abandoned. The animals must have done something to cause the humans to leave. No doubt, if she went into the city, she would fine more human skeletons. Good thing she wasn't going to the city.

After walking, she finally reached her destination. She stepped into a small industrial area. A power plant to be specific. Like the other buildings, the power plant was abandoned. Nature was taking over it. Patches of ivy grew along the exterior. She could see grass almost as tall as her inside the building from a broken window. She wouldn't be surprised if a tree was growing inside of it somewhere. But the power plant wasn't was she was looking for, it was behind it.

Instead of going around the building, she decided to go inside. Taking the first few steps up, Erica noticed there were no doors. It looked like they were ripped off their hinges. For a second, she wondered if animals were inside. Markata had assured her that no animal was here. Brushing off the hesitation, she went into the building.

She had to brush away the tall grass. When she realized she could get lost, she decided to get rid of them. Closing her eyes, she pushed the grass down. When she opened her eyes, she saw the tall grass were bent down at the stem, making it easier to see. The first thing she noticed was the graffiti. The walls were covered in what looked like paint and spray paint.

"_We will never survive." "Why is this happening?" "Fight for us, fight for humans." "We will rise." "Death to those animals!" "Save us. Help us." "Kill all animals!" "Find me." "Remember me." "Run"_

It was like looking at a mural. She may have been exaggerating about it, but all the writings and colors blended in together to create a beautiful collage of pain. She went to the nearest wall and ran her fingers through the wall. There was one piece of graffiti that caught her eyes.

"_Love"_

A word like that somehow stood out than all the other ones. Strange. Ignoring the work, she walked past the front desk into a hallway with even more graffiti. Taking a left down the hallway, she saw a little map of the first floor encased in acrylic glass. Once she memorized the layout, she found herself at the other side of the power plant. The back door, much like the front, was gone. Just a dozen yards away from her were train tracks. She was finally here.

Markata didn't go into specific details about this city, but he did mention the city was known for its trains. Passenger and cargo trains. The passenger trains have long since been dismantled, but the cargo trains were still running. They delivered supplies to all the troops stationed across different parts of the city. Not only that, but the train is on auto pilot. No one driving it.

Which meant no one would stop if she stood in front of it.

In the distance, she could hear the horn. She estimated it would take about ten minutes to get here. Without wasting time, she walked over to the tracks and stood in the center of it.

Finally after ten minutes, she could see the train coming her way. With the speed it was traveling in, it would be enough to do it. Just stand there and wait.

Erica closed her eyes.

The train didn't hit her. Instead, it veered to the left. Erica was not standing in the middle of the tracks. Rather, she was in the center of two sets of train tracks that went in opposite directions. The rush of the train and the sound of it deafened her. She reached out and attempted to touch the passing steel but let her arm drop. Once the train was gone, she left.

_Time to go to the city,_ she thought.

* * *

Erica didn't really venture into the city. Rather, when she was on the outskirts of it, she found a building that could almost pass for a skyscraper. Maybe it was. She really didn't pay much attention to the architecture of it. She just wanted to know how tall it is. Counting the windows, the building was about seventy stories tall.

Perfect.

As like any other building, the elevators didn't work. No surprise there. It took her a while, but she was able to find the stairwell. Looking up, it would take her a long time to reach the top. So instead of walking up, she focused all of her energy on herself and began to float up. When she finally reached the top, she lowered herself to the floor and opened the door to the roof. She was greeted by a cold breeze. Taking a few steps forward, she stared out at the city.

Before, she might have thought of this view as dull. If all the buildings were not broken, if the sun was shining, if the trees that dotted the sidewalk were in full bloom, it would have bored her. But now, the view was more captivating to look at. Several buildings were on the verge of crumbling down. One building had a crescent shape hole on the side. She could see what looked like to be office furniture. They were now empty skeletons, husks of what life had been like before.

It was a perfect ruin. It was beautiful.

As carefully as she could, she stood at the edge of the building. She had enough room to turn around, her back facing the city.

_Just do it._

_3…2…1._

Erica leaned back and was falling. She wasn't screaming at her demise. She wasn't crying. Oddly enough, as she was falling, her mind went back to a conversation she had overheard. She couldn't remember who was talking, but the people were talking about these weird facts that seemed impossible. One of them mentioned that if a person was falling from a great height, they die before they even reached the ground. At first, she thought it was stupid. But now, it could happen.

For now, she waited until she hit the ground.

…then, she opened her hands and mentally pushed down. Her fall was beginning to slow down. Finally, she was hanging in the air. Feeling she wasn't in any danger, Erica released her hold on herself. She landed with a soft thud on the ground. She was only a few inches away from the bottom.

Why was she doing this? Stopping before the act was done? Did she want to die? Did she want to live? She really didn't know. And she'll probably never find out soon.

Erica pushed herself back up. Dusting off some dirt from her uniform, she began her long walk back to the outpost where no doubt Markata will be waiting. But for now, she let herself enjoy the view of the beautiful, perfect ruin of a city.


	29. Io

**Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter for you all.**

**So after reading the new chapter from Rise Out Of The Ashes, and after reading that little story Erica told, I knew it was time for Pumyra to have her own... Persona.**

**Yep, this is another Persona chapter, only this time, it's focusing on Pumyra. **

**Note: I'm not that good at describing things. So in order for you all to best visualizing Pumyra's Persona, it's best if you google _Persona 3 Io_ to get a better look at the Persona.**

**I feel that Io's design best suits Pumyra. Plus the mythology of Io sounds interesting. And as many of you know, the directors of the Thundercats reboot had ideas for Pumyra in the next season. So be sure to look at the mythology behind Io and what the directors had in store for Pumyra in the show.**

**Another thing, I picked Io for Pumyra because of the story Erica had told her. And when you go back to read that part, you'll know why I picked Io to be Pumyra's Persona.**

**Enough of that, let's get back to the story.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

When she made sure Lion-O was asleep, Pumyra sneaked out of their shanty hut. She had to carefully open the door so the hinges wouldn't squeak. The last thing she needed was for him to wake up and ask her where she's going. It would compromise the mission. If she could call it a mission. Mumm-Ra wasn't too specific on the information. He wanted her to sneak out of Cat Town and get as far away from the shanty town as possible to the massive plain that spread out in the east. It was easier said than done.

It was past midnight, the majority of the town was asleep with a couple of guards standing watch. Pumyra quickly dashed between shanty houses, hiding in the shadows. When she reached the east side of the town, she spotted a guard walking the perimeter. When he was far away from her, she ran into the plain, slowing into a walk.

As she walked, she wondered why Mumm-Ra had asked her to come here. Last week, when she had finished debriefing about the latest news about Lion-O, he stopped her before she went back into her body. Mumm-Ra, in all his glory, had given her a new assignment. Whatever it was, she was more than excited to get as far from Cat Town.

After a while, she stopped and looked around, hoping to spot Mumm-Ra. So far, there was nothing but grass and the stars that were dotted across the night sky.

"Finally you're here."

_Oh no,_ Pumyra thought. Sighing, she turned around and found the source of the voice. Erica stood there with her arms crossed against her chest and an impatient look on her face.

"It's about time you got here," she said. "I've been waiting for you for ten minutes. Would it have killed you to walk faster? Or even run?"

Pumyra didn't really want to deal with this. She had been expecting Mumm-Ra, not this psychotic brat.

"What are you doing here?" Pumyra asked with venom in her voice.

"Well hello to you to, princess." Erica responded. "Why do you think I'm here?"

"Mumm-Ra sent you here?"

Erica nodded. "_Markata_ sent me here."

Markata. How Pumyra despised that name. It wasn't the name of her lord.

"His name is Mumm-Ra, human." She said coldly.

"You call him Mumm-Ra, I call him Markata. He prefers it that way. Besides, I didn't come here to talk about names. I'm here because Markata wanted me to give you this."

Reaching into a pouch, Erica brought out a gun. In an instant, Pumyra recognized it. It was the same gun Erica used to summon that thing. Her Persona. Does this mean…

"Don't get all excited." Erica said, as if reading her mind. "Markata wanted me to lend this to you for a test run."

"Test run?" Pumyra asked.

"You've seen what I can do with my Persona. Markata believed that you can summon one as well."

Pumyra couldn't believe this, Mumm-Ra had believed she could have her own Persona! Her lord had faith in her.

Hastily, she took the gun from Erica. It weighed heavy in her arms. The metallic sheen of it reflected in the moonlight. The black handle rough against her hand. This was it.

"What do I do now?"

Erica rolled her eyes and sighed. "I swear you animals are so stupid. You shoot yourself in the head. You've seen me do this before. I don't think it's that different. Just make it quick before someone notices you're gone."

Had they not been comrades, Pumyra would have smacked her across the face for the remark. But she knew how fast the human was with her mind abilities. The last thing she wanted was a broken… anything.

Taking a deep breath, Pumyra gripped the handle of the gun with both her hands and aimed the barrel to her forehead. This should be easy. Just pull the trigger. Easier said than done. Erica had done this numerous times before. If that psycho could do it, then so would she.

"Persona."

She pulled the trigger. For some reason, she heard glass breaking. Then she remembered how when Erica used the gun, glass came out of her head instead of blood.

A blue fog was enveloping her, obscuring her vision. And just as the fog came, it vanished in an instant. She turned quickly to see her Persona and when she did… she was shocked by how it looked.

It wasn't like Erica's Persona, that's for sure. In fact, it looked almost scary. Her Persona was a woman sitting in what looked like cushioned chair in a bull's skull. The skull itself was metallic, save for the cushion and its horns were pointed sharp. The woman sitting in it looked almost human like. She had grey-black skin, wearing a pink dress with long blond hair that for some reason, was floating upwards, as if she were falling. Pumyra looked closer and saw that there were cuffs on the woman's wrists. Cuffs that were chained to each horn. A thick chain was across her abdomen, like a seatbelt. Even her feet were shackled together.

It was beautiful and scary.

**"I am Thou. Though art I." **The Persona said.

"Io." Pumyra whispered.

Letting out a low whistle, Erica cocked her head to her side. "Hm. Color me impressed. It kind of looks cool. In a creepy way, of course."

Pumyra didn't listen to the human's words. She was too busy focusing on her Persona. More than that. This Persona was proof that Mumm-Ra had believed in her. That he believed she was capable of wielding her own Persona. She couldn't wait to use it on Lion-O.

But the fun had to come to an end. Her Persona vanished in a blue flash. Pumyra was a bit sad to see it go, but she knew her Persona would always be in her head. She just needed the same gun Mumm-Ra had given to Erica.

Before she could say anything, Erica took the gun from her and put it back in the pouch.

"Hey!" Pumyra reached out for the bag only to be pushed away. Erica hadn't even lifted a finger. She was using her telekinesis.

"Markata wanted for you to _summon _your Persona, not use it for combat. Nothing more, nothing else. Besides, Lion-O already knows I have a Persona. If he sees you with the gun, he'll know something is off and the mission will be compromised. We can't risk it."

As much as she wanted to disagree with her, Pumyra knew Erica was telling the truth. But that didn't make her happy. She wanted to have the gun. She wanted to summon her Persona again. Mumm-Ra will be impressed by how much damage she could cause with it. Except she was still undercover. The good thing is, Lion-O is still incapable of being a king, which means Mumm-Ra could order her to strike them down. And maybe she'll have the gun and summon her Persona.

The sound of something tearing caught her attention. A tear in the air was behind Erica. It was the same teleportation Mumm-Ra used for Erica to travel through. She didn't say a work as she stepped into it, the tear disappearing.

Pumyra was now alone. Not for long though. Soon, she and Mumm-Ra will be reunited. They, along with Erica and the others would kill the Thundercats and the rest of the animals in Cat City.

For now, Pumyra walked back to the town.


	30. Shadows

**What's up guys?**

**Here we have a new chapter! *Throws confetti***

**A lot of you said it was nice how I had Pumyra involved in a chapter of Remnants along with Erica. So an idea came to me. Since they're working together, how about they fight together! The two are polar opposites in every way, but they do share a common goal. Plus, they each have a Persona. **

**So for the song, it's called Darkness from Persona 3 FES. Seriously, listen to it. Better yet, listen to it when Erica and Pumyra encounter the enemy. **

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Wake up."

Pumyra was forcibly pulled from her bed, landing on the floor with a thud. Still half asleep, she looked up at the figure above her. Blinking away the blurriness, she clearly saw who the person was.

"What are you doing here?" Pumyra asked in a hushed whisper.

"What does it look like?" Erica responded. She didn't even keep her voice down. She was talking like they were out in the open.

Looking over her shoulder, Pumyra waited to see if Lion-O would stir from his sleep. Surprisingly, he didn't move a single inch. It was quiet that she could still hear his soft breathing. It was as if he didn't hear them.

"Don't worry." Erica said after a moment. "Markata put a sleeping spell on the town. The only ones awake are the guards. They shouldn't be a problem though."

"What's going on?" Pumyra wasn't sure she should trust Erica. But the human did mention Mumm-Ra, so it must be important if he sent her.

"I'll explain as we go. Come on." Spinning on her heels, Erica went out of the shack, leaving a dazed Pumyra standing up. She grabbed her mini cross bow and followed Erica. True to what Erica said, the entire town was dead asleep. The only sound she heard was the distant footsteps of the guards. She knew Mumm-Ra was strong when it came to magic, but she'd never expected him to be so strong that he could put an entire town to sleep. Her master was truly something.

"Over here."

Erica's voice snapped her attention back. Pumyra saw the human go between shanty houses, walking fast and swiftly, as if she knew where to go. Pumyra followed quickly, not wanting to lose track of her.

When the two finally reached the edge of town, they waited for the nearest guard to turn a different direction. While waiting, Pumyra sneaked a glance at Erica. The human's face was stone cold calm. It unnerved her a bit seeing how the human could look like that most of the time, as if she didn't have any feelings whatsoever. Which wasn't true. Erica definitely had feelings when she battled the Cats. Psychotic feelings.

When the guard turned a corner, they dashed forward. Instead of going in the plain, they headed off towards the mountains. Pumyra recalled the times she and some selected groups of animals would scavenge the mountains in hopes of finding food or shelter. When it became clear it was just nothing but rocks, no one went back. Apparently, they missed something, because as they went on a trail, Erica walked as if she knew where she was going. Pumyra never saw Erica around Cat Town, not even at night. When she went back to report to Mumm-Ra, it seemed that Erica spent most of her time in the black pyramid and other places Mumm-Ra had assigned her to go.

They walked for a bit until they reached a fork in the road. Erica took the left, which was strange because Pumyra knew the left path lead to a dead end.

Sure enough, they reached the dead end. Just a wall of rock.

"What are we doing here?" Pumyra asked. "There's nothing here. Let's go back and take the other path."

Ignoring Pumyra, Erica stepped forward.

Erica went _through_ the wall.

Pumyra's eyes widened. _What the…_

She reached forward, touching the wall with her finger tip. The wall rippled like if a pebble was dropped into a lake.

Before she could admire the illusion, a hand reached out from the wall and pulled her in. She stumbled before regaining her footing. The hallway she was in was all metallic. Fluorescent lights were embedded in the ceiling.

"What is this?"

"Markata had some lizards build this place about four months ago. There are other rooms like this around Third Earth. Markata has been real busy since you've been with the Cats. Come on, let's keep going."

At the end of the hall was a hexagonal platform.

"It's a teleporter," Erica said, "in case you were wondering." She reached for something strapped to her left leg. "Here."

It was the same gun Erica used to summon her Persona.

Does this mean…

"Congratulations." Erica said deadpan. "You finally get to use it."

Smiling, Pumyra took the gun. Finally she was able to use it again. The second she goes back to give Mumm-Ra news, she would thank him for believing in her.

Now she just had one question.

"What's going on?"

"I'll tell you when we get there." Erica stepped onto the platform. Pumyra followed suit.

The platform began go glow in a white light. The light blinded them both. Pumyra could feel as if she was flying but could still feel her feet on the platform. When she opened her eyes, it looked like they were still in the same metallic hallway. Erica stepped off the platform and went to the end of the hall. Like before, she stepped through the wall. When Pumyra went through the wall, she didn't see mountains. Instead, they were on a beach. The Fishmen's beach to be exact. And not far from where they stood, was the cavern where Erica took the scroll from.

Without hesitating, Erica headed straight for the cave. As Pumyra followed, she looked back to where they came out of and saw it was another wall on the side of one of the many rock formations.

When they entered the cave, the walls began to glow blue, sensing their presence.

"Over here." Erica took a cave that Pumyra didn't even remember there being when she and the Cats first got here.

"Markata sent us here because he wants us to kill something."

"Something?" Pumyra asked.

"He calls it a Shadow."

"Shadow?"

"Markata told me Shadows are the physical manifestation of one's lower part of the psyche. Suppressed feelings and thoughts that were able to manifest themselves into living beings."

"What do you mean suppressed feelings and thoughts?"

"When a person - let's say a random animal or human – is unable to face their darker selves, they manage to escape the mind, free to do what they wish. When in their physical form, they can transform into the very thing their host wasn't able to overcome. Or in some cases, their fears. The only way to kill them is by using Personas or weapons that are enchanted. Which is why Markata wants us to kill it."

"But why? Can't he do it himself?"

"Yes, he can. But he's busy with finding the next essence. And none of the other generals will be able to defeat the Shadow. Ergo, he wants us to finish it off."

"Is this Shadow a threat to Mumm-Ra?"

Erica was quiet for a moment. "Not really." She said. "Markata can easily defeat the Shadow, but it can cause problems to our mission. Like I said earlier, Shadows have their own will, meaning they can do whatever that want with malicious intent. They just get in the way."

All of this information was new to Pumyra. Shadows, suppressed emotions. She knew Third Earth was had its myths and legends, but this was almost unbelievable. The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it made her.

"You said Shadows are suppressed emotions. Does this mean…"

"Yes."

They didn't say a word after that.

After a while, they finally reached the exit of the tunnel.

The cavernous room was massive. About half of Cat Town could fit in it. It was also empty. Pumyra had expected to see some type of monster, waiting patiently for its next victim to enter the room.

Something did feel off about the room. The atmosphere felt heavy with fear. A chill ran down her spine. Some of her fur even stood up. Something bad is in this room. Something scary.

Suddenly, a small black swirling hole began to form in the center of the room. Erica took out her own gun and aimed it to the side of her head. Not wanting to be defenseless, Pumyra aimed the gun to her forehead. Both stood ready as the swirling black mass began to grow larger.

A hand reached out from the hole and latched itself to the floor. Another hand came out and grabbed one side of the wall. More hands popped out until the source of the hands finally emerged from the black hole.

Its body was oddly human like. The head was upside down with its jaw unhinged, bits of skin and muscle holding it in place. Its tongue licked white razor sharp teeth. What made it scary was that it didn't have eyes or a nose. The Shadow lifted several of its hands while others stayed on the ground for support. A black mist surrounded the raised hands. When the mist disappeared, swords were in the hands.

Not missing a beat, Erica and Pumyra were ready.

"PERSONA!"

They both pulled the trigger and out came their Personas, Adrasteia and Io.

Adreasteia raised her sword. A block of Ice encased the Shadow before shattering. The Shadow cried out in anguish. It raised several of its arms and aimed them at Erica. Erica and Adreasteia dodged the blow. Pumyra, along with Io, jumped to the side, avoiding a slash from one of the swords.

"What do I do?!" She called out to Erica.

"Just let your Shadow attack."

On cue, Io lashed her arms to the Shadow, her hands only going far as the chains would allow her.

Pumyra felt a breeze. The breeze then turned into a powerful wind. She could actually see the wind! A gust of green wind surrounded the Shadow in a tornado like funnel. The funnel began to constrict itself before it exploded into a powerful gust of wind.

The Shadow stepped back. It looked between them both, which was disturbing how it knew where they were since it didn't have eyes.

The Shadow raised the swords and clashed them against each other.

A bolt of lightning struck Io.

"AH!" Pumyra yelled in pain. Why did it hurt her? It didn't hit her, only Io. Does this mean that if Io gets hit, she will feel its pain?

It was confirmed when the Shadow clashed its swords again and the same gust of wind Io used hit Adrasteia and Erica grunted in pain.

Pumyra had to do something. If they took more damage, they could get killed. Somehow, they needed to be healed. But Cheetara wasn't here to help with her magic.

Her attention went back to Io as the Persona raised her hands in the air. A light green blue light surrounded her and Erica. The pain she felt just a minute ago was gone. Even Erica looked like she wasn't in pain.

So her Persona could heal.

Io lashed her hands again and an even stronger gust of wind hit the Shadow.

"I have an idea!" Erica called out. "Stand still!"

Adrasteia raised both her sword and Balance. Erica began to glow white. Even Pumyra began to glow white as well.

The Shadow clanged its swords again. A bolt of lightning hit Pumyra. But instead of hurting her, the lightning bounced off of her and went back to the Shadow.

This time, the Shadow aimed at Erica with a gust of wind. But like Pumyra, the wind bounced off her and back at the Shadow.

The Shadow was barely standing at this point.

"Now's our chance!" Erica called out.

Adrasteia and Io attacked the Shadow at the same time. Lightning and wind striking it down.

A piercing howl came from the Shadow as it crumbled before it exploded into a black cloud. The cloud faded away and it was just the two of them. Their Personas, sensing the battle was over, disappeared.

The atmosphere in the cavern returned to normal. Pumyra couldn't sense the Shadow. Sighing, she sat down on the floor. She couldn't believe she fought and defeated some sort of entity. A part of wondered if Lion-O or the rest of the Cats could defeat a Shadow. She knew they wouldn't, since none of them had Personas. It only proved she had more power over them. And when the time was right, she would use her Persona against them.

"Let's go." Erica was already walking out of the cavern.

Getting up, Pumyra stretched her arms and followed Erica out.

* * *

Not much time had passed when Pumyra left earlier. She had to guess she'd been gone for about an hour and a half at best. She, along with Erica, stood outside her shanty house.

"Do you think Mumm-Ra will ask us to hunt down more Shadows?" She asked.

"Probably." Erica said. "Since he's busy trying to find the essence, he won't have time to defeat them. But they aren't a huge threat to us. Just so long as they don't interfere with the mission, we should be fine."

Pumyra nodded. If more of those Shadows existed across Third Earth, she would gladly defeat them if it meant helping Mumm-Ra. He had placed his trust in her and she would not let him down. With her Persona, she would be unstoppable. Even alongside Erica, they would destroy everything in their path.

Just the idea of her and Erica working together made her laugh internally. They couldn't be in the same room without there being an argument. And here they were, working together.

"It wasn't that bad." She said.

Erica looked to the side. Her face had the same stone cold expression. "…I guess." She held out her hand. Pumyra gave her the gun. When she put the gun away, Erica took one last look at the shanty house, specifically the window where the bedroom was, and she turned and began to walk away.

As she watched her go, Pumyra couldn't help but wonder about the Shadow. Erica had said it was a manifestation of suppressed emotions and thoughts. It had to belong to someone.

"Hey." She called out.

Erica stopped.

"That Shadow," Pumyra continued, "whose was it?"

"Doesn't matter." Erica said. "It could've belonged to anyone."

And with that, Erica walked away.

* * *

"This is going to be a great day, I know it!"

Lion-O was escorting Pumyra to the make shift hospital. He didn't have much to do, so he decided to help Pumyra with dressing up wounds and making first aid kits for the animals.

Pumyra didn't see the need to argue over it. She had only woken up hours ago along with everyone in the town. She overheard some animals saying how they had slept very well. Mumm-Ra's spell must've worn off a while ago. As far as she knew, no one had heard her or Erica sneaking out of Cat Town or coming back in. Not even the guards had heard anything.

When she woke up, she wanted to be alone and be kept busy. But when Lion-O offered to go with her, she didn't put up a fight. She didn't want to sound like something was wrong if she brushed him away.

As they walked, Pumyra sneaked a glance at Lion-O. He looked happy, what with his grin and upbeat attitude. But she wondered how he felt on the inside. If he was suppressing any feelings.

"Lion-O. Do you mind if I ask you something."

"Sure." Lion-O said.

"…mind if it's personal."

"Anything. You name it."

"…how do you feel about _her_?"

Lion-O stopped dead in his tracks. Pumyra took a few steps forward to put some space between them and looked him in the eyes.

"Be honest. How do you feel about her?"

Her answer really did startle him.

"Um… I um…"

She was right. He may be happy on the outside, and maybe he was happy on the inside. But…

"There's nothing to think about." He finally said. "Come on, let's go." He walked past her.

As she followed him, she imagined a black mass of fog seeping out of his head and going off somewhere on Third Earth.

If Mumm-Ra ever asked her and Erica to take down another Shadow, she wondered if she would ever face Lion-O's Shadow.

But for now, she followed him.


	31. Psyche

**Hey guys!**

**3k words. Wow. I can't believe I managed to get past that. **

**But enough about that! So this is another Persona chapter in which Kit gets a Persona! Now, like before, it's best if you google what Kit's Persona looks like. Google Persona Psyche and you'll get a good look at her. She's my favorite!**

**Like the chapter before, the song is Darkness.**

**As usual, I don't own anything. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Kit wandered aimlessly around Cat Town. With no destination, she passed many shanty houses, the make shift hospital, the town hall, and the tents some animals slept in while they waited for new houses to be built. It was a nice town. Had it been any other day, Kit would've loved it. In a way it did remind her of the slums in Thundera. It felt familiar, going between houses and occasionally, climbing on to the roof with her brother. However, today, she didn't pay much attention to it.

She went behind a random house and sat down on the ground. The shade of the house blocked the sun, casting a long shadow that stretched out far. She ran her finger through the soft ground, making little circles with her finger and dusting them away when she was done. Sighing, she brought up her knees and rested her chin on them. She listened as the town went about its busy schedule. Here and there, animals went to do their different jobs, some went to the garden to harvest the vegetables. She could even hear Panthro shouting combat lessons to the animals who volunteered to fight. They all had something to do.

Except for her.

Yesterday, Tygra was giving them lessons in fighting. Kat was the more best of the two. With his flank, he was able to counter most of the hits Tygra had thrown at him. He had the best stance, good reflexes, and had a keen eye on where the enemies were. Kit was like that. The only thing that was different was that Kat had a weapon whereas she had her flupe. Nothing else.

When watching Tygra giving Kat a lesson, she saw how he was good using his flank. The retractable weapon had its advantages. Seeing him with his weapon made her feel… she didn't know how to feel. It was that feeling in the back of her mind she knew was there but couldn't grasp it well.

Hours later, that feeling went away and she joined the rest of the Cats and other animals for lunch. Sitting next to her brother, Kit ate some fruit (along with some candy fruit Kat snuck in) when a dog, sitting across from them, asked Kat what his flank was. When Kat finished his explanation, the dog then asked Kit where her weapon was. She didn't know how to respond. Her flupe was able to put an animal in a trance when she played. But it wasn't really much of a weapon. Before she could say she didn't have a weapon, a fishman called the attention of the dog and he left.

Later, before she went to sleep, that feeling returned. And this time she knew what it felt.

She felt hollow.

Never before had she felt this way. When she lived in Thundera, when she traveled with the Cats, during the six months living in Cat Town, she never felt like that. Now, it made her feel empty. She pondered for a moment before finding out why she felt that way. It was because she didn't feel useful to the team. Everyone had a weapon. She didn't. What good could she be if she can't fight back?

After a while, she stood up and went to the hospital, hoping to at least help out Pumyra make some med kits. As she went her way, she saw Lion-O talking with Dobo and one of the Birds. He seemed busy. More busy than usual. She was about to enter the hospital when screeching came from above. Several birds – raves – ascended slowly to the ground. Lion-O quickly ran to them. The screech drew the attention of the other animals. She even saw Kat racing up to the gathering crowd. She quickly followed her brother. They managed to squeeze between animals until they were directly in front of the crowd.

"What's going on?" Lion-O asked frantically.

One of the raven men, the leader, looked back at his companions. They nodded their heads and the leader turned back to Lion-O.

"We found the human girl."

* * *

The ride to the canyon was a quiet one. Even as they landed in a clearing on a flat plateau, Kit could almost feel the tension going around them.

"Alright," Lion-O said, "we follow her and make sure she doesn't see us. She may lead us to a clue to finding the next essence. When the time is right, we attack. Everyone got that?"

The other nodded, except for the twins. Kit glanced at her brother and could see that he didn't agree with fighting Erica.

They climbed down the side of the plateau until they reached a dirt path. Cheetara pulled out a map the raven men drew and pointed to a part of the canyon. Their destination ended when they stopped in front of a cave. Between the time the raven men reported seeing Erica and the time they traveled to the canyon, no one was certain Erica was still inside the cave. She may have gotten what was inside and left.

Wasting no time, Lion-O stepped into the cave, the other following suit. Tygra pulled out a torch from his pack and lit it up.

Kit walked beside her brother, holding on to his arm. The last thing she needed was either of them to get lost here forever.

For what felt like half an hour of wandering, Lion-O pulled out omens. "Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight!"

Kit watched as Lion-O stared past Omens into the cave. After a couple of seconds, he set down Omens. "She went there." He pointed to the right. Tygra held out the torch in the direction and cavern. The cavern was narrow to the point where they had to walk in single file. Something about this caver, this whole cave in general, felt wrong. Like something… bad was living in here.

Finally, they found their way out of the cavern into a giant cavernous room with torched lined up on the wall.

And there was Erica. Her back was to them and she didn't seem to react to their presence.

The Cats didn't hesitate to draw their weapons. Kit and Kat watched as Lion-O stepped forward.

"Erica!"

Erica didn't say anything. She didn't even turn around to face them. She just stood there.

Before Lion-O could say anything else, a black swirling hole appeared at the center of the cave. The swirling mass grew larger to the point where Erica had to step back a bit.

Two giant arms popped out and clawed the sides of the cave. The body that came next was gargantuan. It resembled some type of animal, but its skin was pitch black to the point where it was hard to identify. The body wasn't as big as its arms but it seemed to be able to stand under the weight of them and somehow support them. It let out a very loud roar. Kit covered her ears, crouching down behind Panthro.

"What is that?!" Cheetara yelled.

The only one who didn't seem affected by the roar was Erica. When the creature stopped roaring, Erica pulled out a gun and pointed it to the side of her head.

"Persona!" She pulled the trigger and out came… something.

Kit saw what looked like a woman wearing all black and long brown hair ending at the rear. She couldn't see the front part of it. In her hands she held a sword and a balance.

"What the-" Tygra couldn't finish his sentence before the woman… who ever she was lifted her balance and lightning came out of nowhere and hit the monster.

"Kit! Kat! Hide somewhere!" Lion-O called out as he and the other Cats charged at the monster. "Thundercats, HO!"

The twins quickly looked around and spotted a rock jutting out of the ground. They quickly huddled behind it, watching as the Cats and Erica fight the monster. Or rather… watching Erica fight the monster. Lion-O used slashed at the monster with Omens, only to have it bounce off its skin. Tygra and Cheetara went for the arms, only to have their weapons do no damage, the same with Panthro and Pumyra. Only Erica seemed to be doing any real damage with that woman helping her. Lightning and somehow ice came from the woman whenever she lifted either her sword or balance.

All the while, Kit was in awe with how they were fighting the monster with everything they've got, even if the Cats weren't doing much damage to it.

The monster roared again, only this time, three blue orbs floated in the air, circling until they began to close in together and slam to the ground. The blast of it knocked Erica off of her feet and threw her back. She lost hold of her gun and the woman disappeared. The gun skidded to a halt not far from the twins.

Kit felt something. She didn't know what, but looking at the gun, she could feel something deep inside of her. The hollow feeling wasn't there anymore. The gun was practically calling out to her.

She pushed herself off the rock and ran straight for the gun.

"Kit!" Her brother called out to her. She ignored him. She needed the gun.

When she got to it, she picked it up. It felt heavy in her hands. The shiny metal part reflecting from the light of the torches. Its black handle rough against her soft hands.

Something about this gun felt right. She didn't know why, but it seemed like the gun wanted her to pick it up.

"Kit! Get back!" Lion-O yelled. He and the other Cats were yelling at her to get back, to hide, to run. But she didn't listen. She focused on the gun.

"Kit!"

That voice.

Kit looked up and saw Erica who was struggling to get up, looked at her with determination in her eyes. Did she have the same feeling about the gun?

Erica quickly glanced at the monster then back at her. She nodded her head.

Kit understood what she meant.

Letting out a soft breath, Kit put the gun to the side of her head. She blocked any noise she could hear.

"Persona."

She pulled the trigger and a blue fog surrounded the space in front of her. When the fog went away, she saw what was in its place. She had to go around the thing to see it from the front.

In front of her was…

It was a woman… sort of. Instead of a head, it was a butterfly. It didn't have a body, bit the wings, which were a bright red with dark red veins, were connected to the head, which wasn't even connected to the body. The body was wearing a white ball gown dress with white flowers around the waist and on the chest too. Where its neck should have been was some sort of wooden thing that seemed to be used for holding up a dress. Just like the head, the arms weren't connected to the body. Rather, they were floating near it. And instead of arms, they were actually white gloves what went up to what Kit had to guess were the elbows.

Kit knew what it was from the moment she saw it.

Her Persona.

"Psyche." She softly called out to it.

Kit turned around to face the monster. She could see the other Cats with their jaws open in shock and awe at what they saw. Only Erica didn't seemed surprise. Instead, she smirked and waved her hand at the monster.

The monster roared at Kit. She only smiled.

_Get it._

Psyche flew past Kit and with both of her arms, she x-scissored the monster. A slashing sound came from the attack and the monster cried out, staggering back. Psyche continued to slash at the monster with her arms, never tiring.

From where she stood, Kit watched as her Persona did damage to the monster. This time, she felt like she was useful to the battle. Psyche was a part of her. And there by, Kit was fighting the monster.

Psyche pushed the monster with enough force that even she flew back. With the monster far away, Psyche extended her wings as well as her arms. A large arrow came down and pierced the monster in the eye. Then another arrow came down. Soon, hundreds of arrows rained down on the monster. When the rain of arrows ceased, Psyche flew at the monster and did the same x-scissor attack as before. Psyche again extended her winds and arms. Only this time, instead of arrows, a block of ice encased the monster and shattered. The monster cried in anguish as it sank the ground, exploding in a black mist.

All was quiet. No one moved. Kit looked up and Psyche and in a blue flash, she was gone.

Kit looked over to where Erica was, to thank her for telling her what to do. Except she was gone.

Pattering footsteps came from behind her. She turned just as Kat hugged her.

"That was amazing! How did you do that? What was that thing?!"

The other Cats surrounded her. They each were glad Kit didn't get hurt.

"Would someone tell me what on Third Earth did Erica and Kit summoned?" Panthro asked. He looked over at Cheetara, hoping she might have an answer. She shook her head.

"It's called a Persona."

Everyone looked to Lion-O.

"And how do you know that?" Tygra asked while glaring, not pleased that Lion-O knew something about Erica and those things she and Kit summoned.

"I'll explain on the Feliner."

* * *

When the group got back to Cat Town, Kit was practically bouncing up and down with happiness. Finally, she had a weapon. She could help out and not be on the sidelines.

The other Cats followed her out. Earlier, Lion-O had explained to them with what little knowledge he had what Kit had summoned. A while ago, he had encountered Erica and she summoned her own Persona and attacked him. The others weren't pleased he withheld a secret like that but they got over it. Kat then took the gun from Kit and tried to see if he could summon a Persona only to be stopped by Lion-O. He wanted to make sure they were in an open area and not in an enclosed space should Kat summon something big.

They landed in a clearing and when in the open field (and after making sure the gun didn't have any real bullets), Kat pointed the gun to his head, said Persona, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

One by one, the other Cats put the gun to the head repeated the same steps. Nothing. When the gun was given to Pumyra, she quickly gave it back to Lion-O. She explained that while in prison, the guards had guns and would randomly fire at cats. It made her uncomfortable.

Lion-O asked Kit why she could summon a Persona.

"The gun called out to me." She simply said. "And Erica wanted me to use it."

Now back at the shanty town, Kit raced over to where the elephants were to show Aburn what she could do.

"Hey." Pumyra grabbed Lion-O's shoulder. "I'm feeling a bit tired from fighting that thing. I think I'm going to rest for a bit."

She said she would meet him and the others for dinner and went to her shanty house. She pulled back the covers of the bed, laid down on it and closed her eyes.

* * *

"How can she summon a Persona? I though only me and Erica were able to do it."

Pumyra stood across from Mumm-Ra, or rather, Markata from the scrying pool. Next to her, Erica stood with her arms crossed, looking away from both of them.

Markata rubbed his chin in thought as he looked into the pool. It showed Kit shooting the gun to her head and Psyche was summoned in front of the elephants.

"It seems," Markata said after a while, "that this kitten here has the potential."

"Potential?" Pumyra asked.

"There are certain people – animal or human – who have the potential to summon a Persona. Not everyone can do that. The reason for that potential is because those certain individuals have come to terms with what they want in their life. Certain goals they want to accomplish. Hence, Pumyra, you and Riley over here can summon one. And apparently, this kitten you call Kit."

Markata waved a hand over the pool and the image of Kit rippled away.

"But won't it be a danger for you, my lord?" Pumyra asked. "She could hurt you. Or worse."

"Worry not. There are only four Persona users on Third Earth at the moment. And three of them are here in this room."

This time, Erica looked up at Markata with wide eyes. "Do you mean you can…"

Markata nodded. "It matters not. We still have to focus on the main mission, and that is to find the next essence. Riley, I want you to go to the badlands and look for anything work searching for. I expect a full report once you return."

Erica nodded and left the room.

"Pumyra. Keep a close eye on the child king. He seems closer to breaking down. Report to me immediately when the time is right to attack."

"Yes my lord." Pumyra's astral body disappeared from the lair.

Kit turned the gun over in her hands. It was a mystery how such a thing could be capable to summon something so powerful. The thought of it sounded like something from a fairy tale. But it did happen. She had a Persona. And this time, she was going to help.

She was sitting on the ground behind the same house she sat behind earlier. It was going to be dinner time soon, but she wanted some time to look at the gun. Why did it call out for her? Maybe she wouldn't know. But she had a weapon. Psyche.

A bell rang out, signaling dinner. Standing, Kit put the gun away in a holster Panthro had made for her and followed the crowd.

With a bounce to her step, she couldn't wait to see how she would help.


	32. Warrior

**Hey guys! **

**So this was easy and quick to write. It may not be long, but I'm sure Erica will leave a lasting impression on you. Especially near the end. And there may be another chapter up soon.**

**Keep in mind, this chapter, as well as the others are non-canon to WAR's story. **

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Markata paced around his office, occasionally stopping so he could drink some water. Usually, he had other ways of keeping his mind off of things. Like training more of the recruits, planning out attack strategies, or go on the battlefield. However, the new recruits already got the required training. There were no strategies to make as of yet. And it had been a while since a semi small army of animals had threatened to attack.

He was more focused on what Riley was doing. She had been sent to quote on quote, "take care" of some rogue animals spotted in a park. That had been forty-five minutes ago and she has yet to send in a status update. Normally, in these types of missions, she would go in and get out in a short amount of time that she would report in about fifteen minutes after the mission was done. Markata tried not to let her silence unsettle him. No doubt she was a skilled fighter, especially with her telekinesis. It was because of her that most missions were done quickly. Not one animal was able to severely damage her to the point of being incapacitated. What injuries she got she withheld and continued to fight as if nothing had happened to her. She was strong.

But now…

Something wasn't right. Markata sat down at his desk and pushed a button to the side. A holographic screen popped up and he pressed a series of keys on the screen until a map appeared. It was a detailed map of the city. Or rather, what was left of it. He zoomed out until he saw a red dot located on the park Riley was. Sure enough, it was her. Every soldier had a tracking device implanted in them so it could keep track of where they were and their vitals. He tapped on the dot and a picture of Riley appeared on the side. Next to her picture it said: **Disturbance.**

Markata pressed a finger on his ear piece. A small beep emitted from it.

"Riley. Are you alright. Repeat. Are you alright?"

* * *

"_Riley. Are you alright. Repeat. Are you alright?_

"Just- ah!" Erica ducked from the slash of the sword that would've sliced her throat. "Just-"duck. "Fucking-" duck. "Peachy!"

The sword came at her again and she back flipped away from it. Panting, she did a quick assessment of the enemy. The panda was strong. He towered over her by at least a foot. He only wore dirty brown pants, completely bare from the waist up, muscles rippling with each movement. Patches of blood were painted on the white part of his fur. The look he was giving her screamed murder. He barred his sharp teeth, growling. His eyes glared daggers at her. He really wanted to kill her. And Erica was doing a great job at not getting killed.

The panda charged at her, rearing his sword back and aimed for her throat again. Erica jumped back, feeling the wind of the sword against her face. The panda left himself exposed. Using this, Erica took out her two swords and ran at the panda. The panda quickly swung his sword at her right as she was about to skewer him. Their weapons clashed, sparks flying out.

Eye to eye, the two gave each other death glares as they each pushed against each other.

"Puny human," The panda growled, "you will be my next meal. Just like all your other pathetic human friends!"

"Aww," Erica cooed. "Aren't Pandas supposed to be cute and cuddly?"

The Panda's eyes now looked like he could set her on fire just by glaring at her. Just what she wanted.

Her mind went back to a specific lesson Markata taught her and the other soldiers. _"The animals may walk and talk like us. They can think like us. But their primal nature is what makes them weak. Animals are still animals. If you make them mad enough, they do not possess fight or flight. It's pure instinct. Meaning they cannot think well, Making them an easy target._

With those words in mind, Erica smirked at the panda as she brought her knee to his groin. Hard.

The panda's face morphed into pain, almost looking comically. Erica could feel the pressure from his sword lessen. She pushed herself back, crouched down and jumped over the panda, doing a front flip. When behind him, she kicked the back of his right knee. The panda went down on one knee.

With one sword, she brought the blade to the panda's neck. It wasn't a clean cut. Her sword was stuck in the thick neck muscles. The panda stilled, gasping for breath. The blood gushed out of the wound. Erica jerked the sword from his neck and kicked him in the head. The panda face planted on the cold hard ground, not moving.

"Phew." Erica jabbed her sword to the ground and leaned against it, catching her breath.

"_Riley."_ Markata's voice rang through the ear piece. _"Your vitals are back to normal with some exhaustion. Did you defeat the animal?"_

"Yes sir. He wasn't that tough to begin with. Send in a hover car here. I don't think there's any more animals-"

A spear sailed past her face. "What the!" The spear impaled into a tree. To her right, three animals emerged from the thick underbrush. A dog, a leopard, and a fishman.

Erica groaned. "Are you fucking kidding me!?" She removed her sword from the ground and took a fighting stance.

"_Riley, what's happening?"_

"Just some more animals, sir. Still send a hover car. This shouldn't take long."

Erica ran at them.

* * *

The city must have been beautiful once. Markata watched from the window in the hover car the remains of the city. Toppled towers, gaping holes in several of them, and the majority of them were reduced to rubble.

_We will rise again._

"Sir."

Markata looked to the cockpit where the pilot was driving the hover car. "Yes?"

"We're arriving at our destination. ETA two minutes."

"Good."

Just like the pilot said, they arrived at the park two minutes later. The hover car hovered a few inched from the ground. A door slid open and Markata stepped down. The scene in front of him was something he had gotten used to.

Erica was sitting with her legs crossed. Around her were the corpses of four animals. As he neared, he saw that one of them was decapitated.

Erica smiled as he approached. "About time you got here." She pushed herself off of the ground, dusting away some dirt from her pants. "I was worried you forgot about lil' old me."

"I'm impressed with your work here Riley. Were they difficult for you?"

"Tch, Please. These animals couldn't even get a scratch on me, let alone bit me. I did what you told us and it worked. Took them out in less than five minutes."

For the Dog, Erica waved a tree branch with her mind, threw it to the side and told him to go fetch. The leopard was the more difficult part, but it worked out in the end. Just when he got near her, she stepped out of the way. The more she dodged his attacks, the more he got angry. As for the fishman, she just told him that she had his family for lunch and they were delicious.

"Well done Riley." Markata said. "You're showing some promise. Keep it up and you might make it to second in command. Now, let's get back to base."

As the two walked to the hover car, Erica abruptly stopped to kick the decapitated head far away.

"Maybe we could use their heads as soccer balls." She said. "Though, with how many times it'll get kicked, the skull might break. Not to mention it'll rot. Oh well."

She was an insane one. But Markata kept her for good reasons.

They entered the hover car and went back to base.


	33. Nathaniel Carter Rey

**Hey guys.**

**So this is my longest chapter for Remnants. More than 4.5k words. I really am proud I managed to get this finished.**

**This will be a different chapter in that it will have a different character. We all know that Erica was a solider. She still is considering that she's with Markata now. But back then, she was a soldier along with other. In WAR's story Dissonance, it's known that the majority of the soldiers were scared of her. So I decided to give her that one friend who isn't scared of her.**

**So this story features my own OC. And like before, this isn't canon to WAR's story.**

**And WAR, if you're reading this and maybe want to include the OC in your story, then feel free to ask!**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey never knew he could run this fast. Before, he'd consider himself somewhat fast. He never did out run the fastest kid in the neighborhood, but he wasn't the slowest either. Even at nineteen, he improved a bit. Not much bit a bit.

Now, he was running fast that he might've broken a world record. Adrenaline did that to people. Back then, people used to run around a track to see who was the fastest. His mother would tell him that people of all colors, people from different countries would compete in this race to see who would take home the gold. The runners would start from one point and end at another. Their goal was to win first to represent their country and heritage. Nathaniel was like them. Only instead of trying to win a medal, he was running for his life. Living another day was more important than some medal. And it's not like people compete in those races anymore. Not after what's been going on.

Nathaniel tripped on a rock but managed to balance himself so he wouldn't hit the ground. He could not afford to slow down. If by chance he slowed, it would mean death for him.

Around him, other people were running for their lives as well. Mothers carrying their children, men fighting off their attackers with whatever they could find, children hiding underneath any crevice they could find. It felt like the end of the world. And it might be.

Someone called out to him. He couldn't tell who the person was, but he could hear the desperation in their cries. This is the part where he should play the hero. This is the part where he would go to the person and save them. That's what heroes are supposed to do. There were movies about them saving people and the world. They always win at the end.

Except Nathaniel wasn't a hero. It might have been selfish, but he wanted to live. So he ran past the person and continued onward.

By now, his legs were ready to give out. But he wasn't ready to die. Not here, not now. He wanted to die at an old age with his children and grandchildren and siblings and friends around him at his death bed. Just like how any person was supposed to die. That would never happen. His parents were already long gone. His siblings dead, as well as his friends. Even his imaginary children and grandchildren might never exist. Nathaniel was going to keep running as fast as he could and as far as he could get.

Behind him, he heard those… _things _stumble over rubble. Taking the advantage, Nathaniel sprinted faster than before. He turned into a neighborhood different than his and ran in to the first house he spotted. Whoever lived in it was either dead or gone. He ran up the stairs and ducked into the closest room. It was a bathroom. Like a child playing hide and seek, he pushed away the shower curtain and curled up inside the tub.

Nathaniel waited. And waited. And waited. After a while, he climbed out of the tub and went out into the hallway to the nearest window. Pillars of smoke rose to the air. Fire spreading to different houses. Dead bodies littered the streets. And those things, those animals were running around, looking for their next victim.

This _was _the end of the world.

Stepping away from the window, he went to a bedroom and sat down on a bed. He hasn't prayed in a long time, but now was a good time as any.

_God, please. Help us. Help me. I don't want to die. Please._

Nathaniel Carter Rey then lied down on the bed and went to sleep.

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey never knew such a man could exist.

Earlier, he woke from his sleep when he heard the sounds of screams coming from outside. Only it wasn't human screams. It was the animals. He ran to the same window he previously looked before and saw humans in grey military clothes, each carrying a laser gun. A man with blond hair aimed his gun at an Alligator and pulled the trigger. The blast went through the alligator's chest and it collapsed. The other soldiers shot any animal in sight, quickly silencing them. When the last animal fell to the ground, each soldier turned around and saluted.

A man wearing a grey uniform stepped forward. Unlike the other soldiers, this man's uniform had some black in it and had medals on his breast pocket and was more refined than what the soldiers were wearing. His head was shaved with dark fuzz and a five o'clock shadow. His tanned skin seemed to make it seem like he would spend his day out on the beach, not in a battlefield. Even from where Nathaniel stood, he could make out a scar popping out of the man's uniform collar and what looked like to be a bite mark on his left hand. He was scarred, just like any other person who managed to survive.

An animal, a male cheetah, crawled up to him, grabbing the man's leg. Nathaniel could see the cheetah's legs were broken and bruised. It almost made him seem pitiful. Almost.

The cheetah tried to pull himself up to the man, but the man stepped aside, letting the cheetah fall. Nathaniel wondered how he would kill the cheetah. The man had a gun holstered to his hip, as well as s knife holster in his leg. Instead, the man lifted his leg, laid it on top of the cheetah's neck, and pressed hard. Even with a closed window blocking out sound, Nathaniel could still hear the neck snap. The cheetah ceased to move. The man spoke and he and the soldiers began to walk to a hover craft.

Nathaniel pushed himself away from the window and ran like there was no tomorrow. This was his chance at surviving. Whoever this man was, he could same someone like him. He couldn't be left behind. His prayers were answered.

Bolting out of the house, Nathaniel ran towards the hover craft just as the last soldier was about to go in. "Wait! Please wait!"

The solider, the blonde one, turned and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He yelled inside the hover craft and jumped off of it. The man in grey and black stepped back outside with the blonde soldier following behind.

The man stopped before Nathaniel. "Name." The man said.

Nathaniel realized what the man was referring to. "N-Nathaniel Carter Rey. Please, don't leave me behind. Take me with you." Nathaniel never knew he could sound so desperate.

The man surprised him by placing a hand on his shoulder and nodding his head in approval. "I would never leave a fellow survivor behind. You managed to survive the onslaught of these animals. You are welcome to join us."

Nathaniel smiled and eagerly nodded. "Thank you! Thank you…"

"Markata Ra-Mes," the man answered, "but you can call me Markata."

"Thank you Markata."

Markata turned to the blond solider. "Alert base, tell them we found a survivor. And see if there's more uniforms lying around."

The blond soldier saluted and went back to the hover car, pressing a finger to an earpiece.

"Don't worry," Markata continued. "We'll take care of you." He turned and with a nod of his head, went back to the hover craft.

Nathaniel Carter Rey followed him in.

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey was a soldier.

After being at the underground base for months, enduring the hardest training drills, he was now a soldier fighting for humanity.

He was lined up with the other soldiers in a giant square room, a sea of grey. Up above was a balcony facing the room. Markata had summoned every solider into this room for an important meeting. Beside him, he could see the other soldiers fidgeting with excitement. Markata had an effect on everyone. They looked to him like he was a god of some sort. A protector. A shining beacon for the lost.

When Nathaniel began training, Markata would sometimes teach the class. Giving proper demonstrations on how to use, clean, and aim the guns. Teaching them hand to hand combat, correcting soldiers on their stance and how to punch without breaking a thumb. For the most part, he was there. And when he was not, he was either in his office, the war room; giving commands on which area to go to and what strategy to use, or he was out there fighting out there with the other soldiers.

Nathaniel had never looked up to someone more confident like Markata. He truly was their savior. The one who would lead humanity to win the war against the animals. The one who would win.

Nathaniel recalled one time when he had successfully managed to beat one of the best hand to hand combat instructors in a fight. Markata was there to witness and personally congratulated him on his win. Nathaniel felt like a kid meeting his all-time favorite hero. Markata noticed the shining gleam in his eyes and patted him on the shoulder. "You will make an excellent solider soon Nathaniel. I knew it from the moment I met you. Keep up the good work."

And Nathaniel did. When he was out on the field, he killed any animal he laid his eyes on, showing them no mercy. He even got to accompany Markata on several occasions, acting as a body guard.

Markata was his hero.

The crowd went silent as Markata came into view on the balcony. Like clockwork, the soldiers saluted at his presence.

"Thank you all for coming here." Markata spoke. "We have been at this war with those heartless animals for too long. Time and time, more humans die at the hands of animals. Our population is beginning to die. This war has gone long enough. We are humanity's last hope of survival!"

The soldiers cheered and applauded at Markata's speech. Nathaniel himself was cheering loudly.

"Earlier today," Markata continued, "we managed to capture an animal. This one was close to killing a child. A child no more than six years old. Luckily, one of our soldiers managed to save the child. This animal showed no mercy as he attempted to kill the child. Let's show him how we feel about that."

Markata pulled out a remote from his breast pocket and pressed a button. Up above, a section of the ceiling slip open and a cage came down slowly. Nathaniel could see a tiger chained up, battered and bruised. One of its eyes was swollen shut.

The crowd began to boo, yelling obscene words at the tiger. "Murderer!" "Savage!" "Monster!" "DIE!" Nathaniel felt anger course through his body seeing the tiger. "You fucking monster!" Nathaniel yelled.

"You tell him Nathaniel," someone shouted.

The tiger in question retreated to the nearest corner of the cage, covering his ears. He looked down on the humans in fear. Nathaniel found it ironic, since the tiger was supposed to be a beast capable of killing. Now it was reduced to nothing more than a scared kitten.

Markata glared at the tiger before turning his attention back to the crowd. "This monstrosity had the nerve to kill one of our own. A child no less. He does not deserve the right to breathe the same air as us. Walk the same land as us. Eat the same food as us. He deserves death."

The crowd, along with Nathaniel, cheered.

"A public execution is in order for this animal." Markata pushed another button on the remote and the bottom of the cage opened. The tiger fell and landed hard on the ground.

It was like a tidal wave. Soldier after soldier attacked the tiger. Punching and kicking it. Nathaniel pushed himself into the crowd until he was right in the middle of the wave of soldiers.

One of the soldiers had the tiger's hands in a death grip. A solider clasped Nathaniel on the arm. "Show him what we're made of Nathaniel!"

The soldiers cheered him on as he was face to face with the tiger.

"Please." The tiger begged. "Please stop."

Nathaniel barred his teeth at him. "You ask me for mercy when you killed who knows how many humans!?" He punched the tiger hard in the gut. The soldiers cheered. "You don't deserve to live. Die you son of a bitch!"

Nathaniel Carter Rey punched the tiger across the face.

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey began to hear rumors about a girl.

Markata went on a secret mission to retrieve someone in a certain part of a city far from where they were. After he came back, that's when Nathaniel began to hear whispers among the soldiers about a girl.

"I heard she was covered in blood when he found her." "I heard she killed over fifty animals in one night." "I heard she has some sort of power." "I hear she's insane."

The rumors began to make Nathaniel curious. He wasn't Markata's second in command, so he didn't know who Markata brought back. All he knew that it was a girl. A very peculiar girl.

As Nathaniel went to the weight room to build more strength, he heard a very loud thud coming from the room.

"Put in a hundred more pounds."

That voice. It was Markata's.

Nathaniel rushed to the weight room. He was at the mouth of the door when he saw her.

A teenage girl was standing in the middle of the room. Across from her, soldiers stacked heavy weights on the floor. These soldiers had muscles that could snap a person's neck should someone be in a neck hold.

The girl's face was expressionless as she watched the soldiers add more weights.

"Try now." Markata said.

What happened next surprised Nathaniel.

The weights began to lift into the air as if someone was pulling invisible strings. There must've been over five hundred pounds of weights being lifted.

It took him a moment to realize that it was the girl that was lifting them. She just stared at the weights.

"Stop." Markata commanded.

The weights slowly went down to the ground.

"Good job Erica."

The girl turned to Markata and smiled at him. Nathaniel recognized the gleam in the girl's eyes. It was the same he had when Markata congratulated him on his fight against the combat instructor.

Something about this girl was odd. For as long as Nathaniel knew, he never saw anyone lift objects up in the air with their mind. He had heard rumors as a child that there were humans who had powers, but he never met one until now.

"Thank you sir." The girl said.

Nathaniel quickly ran out of the room when it looked like the girl was about to turn her attention to the door where he stood. Luckily, he got out of there before she could see him.

He wasn't afraid of her. In fact, he really wanted to meet her, to know more about her and her powers. For now, he'd rather wait until Markata properly introduced her to everyone else.

He got as far from the room when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hi."

Nathaniel turned and his heart skipped a beat. It was the same girl from the weight room.

"You know, it's not nice to spy on people." She smiled and waved her index finger back and forth. "But you seem nice, so you're fine."

Nathaniel couldn't find the right words to say. Luckily, the girl continued to speak.

"You're the first soldier I met that wasn't part of Markata's entourage. I like you. In fact, you're my new friend." She held out her hand to him. "Erica Riley."

Nathaniel was right. Something about her was definitely odd. The rumors are true. Even the insane part. But at this moment, she didn't look insane. Not now anyways. Plus, she was being nice to him. It would be rude if he didn't respond politely.

Nathaniel grabbed her hand and shook it. "Nathaniel Carter Rey."

"Nice to meet you Nathaniel." Erica said. "Come on, Markata wants us and some of your soldier friends to go on a mission. Let's go kill some animals!" She giggled as she pulled him along in the direction of the war room.

Nathaniel Carter Rey made a friend.

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey never knew a girl like Erica could be so deadly.

He noticed at first she didn't carry a gun like the other soldiers. Instead, she had two swords. And in battle, she threw herself at the animals, slicing and dicing animals from left to right. There was this one particular mission where she stabbed a bird in the chest and smiled all the way as the bird's life ended. She was a tornado with blades.

Oddly enough, that didn't scare him. He knew Erica could be a bit eccentric. And a bit obsessed with killing animals and coming up with different ways to kill them. But she kept herself grounded when she was around Markata or Nathaniel.

Today, Nathaniel was outside of the underground base, sitting on top of a hangar roof where the hover cars were stored in. Markata was planning on building a hangar bay at the side of a mountain soon. So at the moment, the hover cars and hangar were outside. Nathaniel didn't mind it though. Sitting on the roof at night was bliss. He stared up into the night sky, the stars dazzling like diamonds.

This reminded him of the time when he and his father would climb on to the roof of their house and stared up at the night sky. On more than one occasion they would see a shooting star. His mother sometimes joined them but was scared of heights so she watched from an open window nearby with his little brother and little sister.

Nathaniel wished things were back to normal. That none of this ever happened and he could live a normal life. Though nothing was ever normal. And somewhere along the line, more than likely this war would happen regardless. He couldn't control how his life would turn out. No one could. So he just rolled with the punches and endured every bit of it.

"Hi there again."

Erica surprised him by sitting down next him. She always had a way of making her presence unknown. One of the reasons she's best at stealth missions. The girl was practically invisible. She didn't even need a cloaking device to camouflage her.

"Wha'cha doing up here all by your lonesome?"

"Nothing." Nathaniel replied. "Just staring up at the stars. Nothing to it."

"I like doing that. Except with sunsets. I like that moment of time when day turns into night. And when the colors bleed into one another. It's the best time of day."

Again, Nathaniel was surprised how Erica could be calm and collected. She was a completely different person on the battlefield.

"That sounds lovely." Nathaniel said. He did enjoy these moments with Erica. He'd never had friends as a child. So he was lucky to have found one in Erica.

"Let's tell each other a secret." Erica said spontaneously.

"What?"

"A secret. No one is around and I feel like I know you. Come on. I'll go first."

Erica cupped her hands near her mouth and leaned in closer to Nathaniel.

"I had a crush on this lion."

Nathaniel did a double take. "What!?"

Erica giggled. "I know it's stupid, but it did happen. Yesterday, Markata sent me on a mission to kill a lion and when I first met the lion, I thought he was cute. I still killed him of course, but I made sure it was quick and painless. I didn't want to see him suffer. I guess I have a thing for lions. Must be their manes. I've never seen something so red. Now tell me a secret."

Nathaniel contemplated it for a moment. Then he cupped his hand near his mouth and leaned closer to Erica.

"I did ballet once."

Erica laughed. But it wasn't an insulting laugh. It was more like she was laughing with him. "Really?"

"Yeah. My mom sometimes played ballet music and would dance to it. She was a ballet dancer once. I would sometimes join her and she enrolled me in a class."

"Were you good at it?"

"The best. Not only did I love dancing, I got to meet some cute girls."

Erica playfully pushed him on the shoulder. "You womanizer."

They went back to staring at the stars.

"Will you teach me how do dance?" Erica asked.

Nathaniel smiled. "Of course. Anything for a friend."

Nathaniel Carter Rey made a promise.

* * *

Nathaniel Carter Rey was dying.

And he was okay with it.

He could finally experience what it felt like to die.

It started with his toes. He couldn't move them much at first and then lost feeling in them all completely. Then came his legs. Slowly, death creeped up on his body.

He could hear Erica yell as she sliced her sword at a gorilla's neck. The sword got stuck in thick neck muscles. The gorilla lost his grip on the gun he was holding. Erica let go of her sword and with both her hands, she gripped the gorilla's head.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Erica tore away the gorilla's head. She slammed it to the ground and began to stomp on it. Nathaniel could hear the skull breaking away.

"You! Fucking! Monster! I hate you! DIE! DIE! DIE!" Erica didn't stop until the gorilla's head was nothing more than smush with brain splattered all over.

By now, Nathaniel lost all feeling in his lower body. It beginning to creep up to his chest.

"Nathaniel!" Erica went to him and got down on her knees. She pressed both her hands on the bullet wound in his chest, hoping to stop any more blood from coming out.

Nathaniel reached out and caressed her arm. "It's alright. I'll be gone soon. Don't worry."

"Don't say those words. You _will _live! Don't you fucking die on me Nathaniel!"

"H-hey. Look. I'll be fine. I'll see my family."

Erica began to cry, tears rolling down her cheek and landing on Nathaniel's face.

"Please! Stay! I don't want you to die! You're my friend."

"I'll always be your friend Erica. Always. Here and in the afterlife."

His arm fell to his side. The numbing feeling was now up to his chest. His life was almost over.

"Let's tell each other a secret."

Erica leaned in close to his face.

"You were my first and only friend."

Erica sniffled. "_You _were my first and only friend."

"Glad that's out in the open."

Nathaniel lost all feeling from the neck down.

Erica held him closer, putting her head in his neck. "You-you didn't teach me how to dance."

Nathaniel remembered the promise. He smiled at the memory. "When you find the man you love, human or lion, remember to let them lead first. Then dance with your emotions. Let love be your guide."

Nathaniel's vision was beginning to grow dark. He could feel Erica shaking.

"Thank you for everything Nathaniel."

"Thank you for everything Erica."

Nathaniel Carter Rey died.

* * *

Echo sat next to Lion-O, eating leftover supper from yesterday. The two were against his bed, legs stretched out in front of them. Lion-O had called her to his room to see if she can help put back together some parts of a machine he bought from Jorma. During their work, Echo got hungry and Lion-O went to go get some food. When he came back, he said they needed a break.

"What do you think it is?" Lion-O asked looking at the machine.

"Beats me." Echo replied. "You never know what Jorma is selling. Or where he gets them."

"You're right about that. I just want to at least know what that contraption is before I go to bed."

Echo chuckled. "Since when has sleep ever stopped you from fixing up technology? Remember that one time when I couldn't sleep and went to your room, only to find you awake and fixing some sort of technology."

"Yeah." Lion-O smiled. "Father got mad when I was starting to fall asleep when he was teaching me about war tactics."

They continued to eat until they were finished. But instead of going back to repairing the piece of machinery, they sat against the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Have any luck remembering your past?" Lion-O asked.

Echo sighed. "Nope. Still working on it."

"I wish I could help out with that. You help me every day with technology and I can't even help you remember a simple thing. Guess I'm not a good friend."

"Don't say that." Echo put a hand on his shoulder. "Even if I can't remember zilch, you're doing everything you can to help me. I appreciate it. You're a good friend."

She removed her hand from his shoulder and they went back to staring at the ceiling.

"Is it true that one of the palace maids is pregnant?" Echo asked.

"Yes." Lion-O said. "She's on leave for now until the baby is born. The Clerics sometimes take care of the children of the maids. I think I overheard her talking to one of the maids about names for them baby."

"What kind of names?"

"Well if it's a boy, she's already got some names. Tiberius. Malcolm. Nathaniel."

_Nathaniel…_ "Hmm."

Lion-O turned to her. "What is it?"

"That name. Nathaniel. It sounds familiar."

Lion-O's ears perked. "Really? Is it from your past?"

Echo could practically see the eagerness in his eyes. "I'm not sure. I think I must have overheard some cat calling someone by that name when we went in to the Slums once."

"Oh…" Lion-O seemed a bit disappointed that it wasn't something from her past.

"It's alright. Besides, Nathaniel sounds like a good name. Now, let's get back to that thing." Echo stood and held out her hand to Lion-O. He smiled as he grabbed her hand and hauled himself up.

"Yeah. Let's finish this."

With determination, they continued fixing the machine.

* * *

Erica Riley looked through the archives of Markata's office. Markata was out at the moment. Surveying some land or something. She didn't really care. Just so long as he was gone enough to go through his files on his computer.

When Markata is Mumm-Ra, he prefers to use the scrying pool (rarely does he use it as Markata). But when he's Markata, he prefers to use his holographic computer in his office. There is where he keeps all his files.

Erica knew that Markata would know she was here. Whether she'd get in trouble, she didn't care. She just had to find _him._

She pressed a small icon on the hologram screen and an assortment of files popped out with different labels. She pressed on a folder that read: **Soldiers.**

Scrolling through several names, she finally stopped on one picture.

Nathaniel Carter Rey.

His picture was taken when Markata rescued him. Short tawny brown hair, pale skin, green eyes, and a Roman nose.

This is him. Nathaniel.

Erica could feel the tears running down her face. No sound came out of her as she continued to stare at his photo. Her first friend. Her only friend. Dead. Dead. Dead.

The office door slid open, but Erica didn't move. Markata leaned in next to her to look at what she was staring at.

"Ah. Nathaniel." Markata chuckled. "Never has such a person brought back memories. I still remember the day me and my crew rescued him. He was lost and scared. But when I looked in his eyes, I knew he wanted to fight. It's in us. That driving need to live."

He reached forward and closed the screen. Erica didn't mind he had closed it. She just wanted to see Nathaniel.

Wiping away the tears, she looked up at Markata with boldness in her eyes. "When's my next mission?"

Markata smiled. "There's the girl I know. Lucky for you, it just so happens that there is this small desert community that may hold some information I am looking for. Go there Riley. Kill them. Show them what we will not fall. Do it for Nathaniel."

Erica stood and left Markata's office. She went to her room to get her swords. It didn't matter how many animals were in that town. She would kill them all.

She would kill every last animal on Third Earth.

For her.

For humanity.

For Markata.

For Nathaniel Carter Rey.


	34. The Hanging Tree

**Hey guys! I'm here with a short chapter. As you can guess by the title, yes this chapter will be interpreting the song mentioned in Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay. I haven't read the books or watched the movies, but I have heard of the song floating around. This version of The Hanging Tree is not the one sung by Jennifer Lawrence because the way she sang it implied hope. This version is sung by a YouTuber know as Adrisaurus (Adriana Figueroa) because it sounds the opposite of hope. So check out Adrisaurus cover on YouTube since I think it's the best version of The Hanging Tree. And knowing Erica, you can probably guess why she's acting like this.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Erica stared at the tree she had painted on the wall of her room. It took her a while to paint it. The tree had to be perfect. No stray leaf floating around. No root too wide or too narrow. It wouldn't be a beautiful tree if it wasn't perfect.

She had forgotten how she had painted it. Ink? Blood? It didn't matter. What mattered was that it was complete.

Running her hands from the trunk all the way down to the wandering roots, Erica began to hum. Normally, she wasn't one for music. She didn't hate it per say, but it served no value to her. Sure she remembered hearing some of the Cats in Thundera singing at festivals, and while she thought the singers sounded tremendous, she had no desire to listen to it again. So it was a surprise to her to hear herself hum.

It wasn't a particular song she had heard. It was something of her own. As she hummed, she began to imagine lyrics all while staring at the tree.

Then, an idea popped in her mind. Turning around, she saw Sunny in the corner of the room, examining her. "Sunny," Erica pointed to the door. "Go get me some black ink. I don't care where you get it, just do it for me."

Rolling up into a ball, Sunny rolled out of the room. A couple of minutes passed until he came walking back in with small cans of black ink.

"Is Ro-E planning to draw?" He chirped as he set the cans down near Erica.

"You could say that."

Erica uncapped one of the cans. Using her power, a paint brush floated off of the vanity and it dropped into the can. When the brush had enough ink in it, it floated back in the air. It went to one of the many branches and began to draw. All the while, Erica hummed continued to hum.

And she began to sing.

_Are you are you coming to the tree _

_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three_

_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._

Erica lifted the paint brush off the wall. She had painted an Animal, a wolf, hanging from a noose. Head bend forward, arms limp. Dead.

Erica set the brush on a different branch.

_Are you are you coming to the tree_

_Where the dead man called out for his love to flee_

_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._

She drew more and more Animals of all species being hanged. A perfect addition to add to the tree.

_Are you are you coming to the tree_

_Where I told you to run so we'd both be free_

_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._

There was one branch that was empty of a noose. An image came to mind. The brush began to paint the image which made Erica smile.

A lion was painted on the last branch.

_Are you are you coming to the tree_

_Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me_

_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it seem_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._


	35. Metal

**Hey guys!**

**So I decided to do a little something different for this chapter. A frienship (possibly something more) between two Dogs of Cat Town and their encounter with... you'll see.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Do you think this might be useful?"

A Husky dog by the name of Jarek held up a flat metal plate that might've belonged to some sort of technology. Truth be told, he didn't know much about tech stuff. He was a warrior, born and raised. He'd prefer battle axes and spears and anything that could cause lots of destruction. Technology was completely foreign to him. Which is why it was a surprise when Dobo asked him and Dahlik – a Doberman who also happened to be a warrior - to go to the junk yard where lots of the technology fell from Avista.

Jarek looked up at the sky and for a moment, he imagined seeing the sky city. Even though it was thousands of feet above in the air and no one could see it, he wondered what it would've been like to live up there. The Birds always say how their city was the most prosperous in their politics and law. Not to mention how they drone on and on about how they are considered the most superior because they can fly and such. Jarek wanted nothing more than punch every single one of them. Or at least snap their beaks. Something along those lines. So long as it meant those stupid Birds would shut up.

But he did have to give them some credit. They had helped built a city that floats in the sky. No amount of engineering a land animal could do can create such a thing. Granted, they had one of the stones the Cat King had on his gauntlet. Even with that, they built a city from scratch. An almost perfect utopia.

Almost.

Jarek turned his attention back to Dahlik, whose back was facing him.

"Sure." Dahlik responded. "I guess."

Jarek frowned at his answer. "You didn't even look at what I was holding."

"Doesn't matter. Just get the stuff that looks useful. The faster we work, the sooner we can leave this place."

Grumbling to himself, Jarek put the metal plate inside his pack and continued searching. When Dobo had asked the two of them to do this assignment, he should've asked further questions. All Dobo said was to find useful technology that can be salvaged. The other Animals at Cat Town were working on reverse engineering many of the technology from Avista to see how much of it could help them out in the long run. And if Jarek thought about it further, Dobo most likely asked them on behalf of the Cat King.

He didn't mind being out here on the outskirts of the City of Dogs. When he and Dahlik arrived a few days ago, he caught up with some old friends and even had a few drinks with them. Remembering the good old days before this mummy thing wanted to wipe them all out. He asked Dahlik if he wanted a drink, in which the Doberman responded with a simple "no" and stepped outside. Jarek always wondered what was up with Dahlik. He preferred to be by himself, which was obvious. When Jarek exited the tavern, he spotted Dahlik leaning against the tavern with one leg probed up against it, staring at the night sky. He was an enigma. Then again, maybe he did like to be alone.

Deciding he wanted to get to know Dahlik better, Jarek went over to the pile of technology the Doberman was scavenging through.

"Need help?" Jarek asked.

Dahlik was silent for a moment before he responded. "Sure."

They pushed away several scraps of metal as well as some other parts they didn't know much about.

"So…" Jarek said breaking the silence. "What do you think will happen?" His question didn't need elaboration because his type of question is asked all the time in Cat Town.

"Don't know." Dahlik tossed a spring coil to the side. "Just waiting to see what Lion-O says."

"The longer he waits to see what that book will do, the more danger it puts all in. I'm starting to think that he doesn't even know what to do."

"I'm sure he's doing his best. The least we could do is help out. We're a community in that town. If one of us falls, then so do the others."

Jarek never thought Dahlik would be so wise with words. Just who is this dog?

"Can I ask you a question?" Jarek asked.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you wait outside the tavern? I did invite you for some drinks."

Dahlik paused in his search but immediately continued. "I don't drink. And I don't like loud places."

That made sense to Jarek. Dahlik didn't seem like the type to be in a crowded area, much less a tavern. It fit well with his quiet persona. In hindsight, Jarek probably should've left the tavern early so Dahlik wouldn't be alone. Maybe ask him if _he_ wanted to go somewhere.

"Sorry." Jarek said out of nowhere. Even he was surprised by saying it.

Dahlik looked up at him. "Pardon?"

"I- I umm… I'm sorry if I wasn't there to keep you company. When I saw you outside the tavern, you seemed a bit sad while staring up at the sky. Like you were lonely or something."

Jarek prayed he didn't say something stupid. This was his single flaw: He'd always said what was on his mind without even giving time to think about what he was going to say. It was like his brain and mouth weren't properly connected.

He didn't say anything mean. At least that's what he thought.

To his surprise, Dahlik let out a soft chuckle while shaking his head.

"Believe it or not, you're not the first person to tell me that. I've kept to myself for the majority of my life. It's better when there aren't that many people crowding my personal space. I don't hate people or anything. They can be a bit annoying sometimes. But if I'm being honest with myself, it does get lonely sometimes. I actually wanted to go in the tavern to talk. Except I got a bit shy and decided not to."

Shy. This Doberman with the grace and skills of a great warrior… was shy. Jarek smiled and patted Dahlik on the back.

"It's alright if you were shy. It can be intimidating going into something without knowing what to do. Try to talk to at least one person you know. That can help you open up a bit."

Jarek went back to searching through the pile. He was glad he got to know Dahlik a bit. Even knowing something small as a personality trait can be the first step into being friends with someone.

"Do you want to go to the tavern tonight?"

Jarek's head whipped to Dahlik, who looked like he was asking a stupid question. "If you want to, I mean. I know you went there last night. I just thought that maybe we could… hang out."

The Dahlik asked the question with his cheeks flushed made him seem… Jarek didn't know what to think. But he was glad that Dahlik was beginning to open up.

"Sure. And we can go to this booth near the back where there isn't too much noise."

Dahlik smiled. "I'd like that."

With that, they both jumped off the pile. Their search for salvageable tech came up short.

"Where else can we look?" Jarek asked.

"I think there were some parts right past the-" Dahlik's answer was cut when Jarek raised his hand to silence him.

"Do you hear that?"

At first, Dahlik didn't hear anything. But after a moment, he did hear something.

It was hard to make out the noise. It sounded like rumbling. Not the kind of stomach rumbling everyone has. This rumbling sounded… ominous. Jarek had never heard such a noise. It vaguely sounded like the air ship Lion-O and his companions would drive around. Except this sounded thunderous. Loud and dangerous.

The noise was getting closer. Whatever it was, it was coming in fast.

"Watch out!"

Jarek didn't have time to process what was going on when Dahlik tackled him to the side. The pile of tech they had previously occupied exploded as something went right through the massive pile. The roaring noise was even closer and even louder, it was almost deafening.

When there wasn't any more tech falling, Jarek and Dahlik looked at what caused the chaos. To say it was hard to describe what caused the explosion was an understatement.

The noise was coming from some sort of transport vehicle. It wasn't like anything the dogs had seen. They'd seen the flying ship at Cat Town, and even simple means of transports like carts ran by herd animals. This one was not like anything they had seen.

For one thing, it had two wheels. One in front and the other in the back. Between the wheels was metal. What looked like pipes of chrome jutted out of the lower part of the metal body. At the top of the front part were these two handles. And someone was sitting on a seat of the machine.

The person kicked their foot forward, hitting a small piece of metal which caused it to come forward. The person stepped off the machine and it would've fallen over had it not been for that small metal thing holding it balanced.

What stood out about this person was that they were wearing all black. From a black leather suit with a grey bodied on the front with knee pads and shoulder pads which had spikes on them. A red scarf was wrapped around the neck and a long part of it was wiping against the wind. They also wore a black helmet that covered the entire head.

Jarek looked over at Dahlik to see what he though. Dahlik mirrored the same expression Jarek had: confusion.

Out of the two of them, Dahlik stepped forward with his hand grasped on his spear. "Who are you? Answer now or else!"

The person didn't answer. Instead, they balled their fists. Jarek noticed that there were brass knuckles.

Not wanting for Dahlik to take on this person alone, Jarek quickly took out his battle axe and held it ready. That didn't intimidate the person at all.

What happened next was a blur.

The person ran up to Dahlik with an insane amount of speed and punched him in the stomach. Dahlik collapsed to the ground, holding on to his stomach coughing violently.

Jarek didn't have enough time to react as the person tackled him with their spiked shoulder. The spikes struck him in the shoulder. Jarek growled in pain as he was pushed to the ground. He gripped his shoulder, trying to stop the flow of blood. The person stood over him, fists ready to pumble him into a bloody pulp.

The person would've hit him had it not been for Dahlik sneaking up behind the person ready to stab them with the spear.

However, the person sensed Dahlik as they side stepped out of the way from the spear and delivered a roundhouse kick to Dahlik's head.

Jarek's blood boiled as he saw Dahlik lose consciousness. He wasn't going to let this person get away with hurting him.

With the strength he had left, he stood and reared back his fist. He hoped this blow would deal a great amount of damage.

Except the person dodged the punch and kicked him in the stomach. Jarek collapsed and coughed violently. He didn't have enough energy to get up and attack. All he could do was be on his knees and cough.

The person removed the bag from his side and went through it. The person pulled out a small piece of technology. They turned it around, closely examining every nook and cranny of it. The person put the piece in her pocket and threw the bag back at Jarek.

The bag spilled out all the stuff Jarek went through. He looked back at the person as they got back on their transport vehicle, kicked back the small metal thing back into the vehicle and twisted one of the handles, causing the same noise he heard earlier. The vehicle then sped off from the junk yard.

When the person was gone, Jarek pulled out a small remote from his pocket and pushed a red button. He put the remote back in his pocket and waited for the air ship to pick them up.

* * *

Jarek was used to having his body deal with damage. He was a warrior after all. But he wasn't used to damage like this.

The puma and cleric who were with Lion-O had healed his wounds; the same with Dahlik. The good news is that nothing serious was broken or damaged. They would be back on their feet in no time. But for the time being, they needed to rest.

Lion-O stayed behind to ask them what had happened. They told him about the person that attacked them. When asked what gender the person was, the two were stumped. In response, they said they didn't know. The Cat wasn't too happy about what transpired. Jarek could see his teeth grind in anger. Lion-O told them to get well and left the make shift hospital

Ignoring the rule to rest, Jarek stood from the bed and sat down on the end of Dahlik's bed.

"How you doing?"

Dahlik rubbed his lower jaw. "Could be better. I'm glad my jaw didn't get broken. You?"

"They were able to patch up the holes in my shoulder. Shouldn't take long for them to completely heal."

"Good. Good."

There was a silence between them. Words that begged to be spoken were trapped inside of them.

"We still on for having a drink?" Dahlik asked.

Jarek had almost forgotten about the promise between them. He smiled.

"Sure thing."

* * *

**I think we all know who the person was with the motorcycle. ;)**


	36. Humanity

**Sup guys. Dark here back with another chapter. Sorry for the long wait. I recently started my summer classes for college and since I pretty much have one test every week, that requires a lot of studying and little free time. Thankfully, I had parts of this chapter written beforehand and just finished it yesterday.**

**I will say that with my summer courses, chapter updates will be sporadic. But I will write some more soon!**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy **

* * *

"You wanted to see me?"

Erica stepped inside the dim room of Markata's office. Across the room behind the desk, the chair Markata sat in was turned around, blocking his body. She knew he was there, but the backrest was concealing his body.

A hand extended from the chair. A bandaged hand.

"Sit down lieutenant."

It wasn't Markata. It was Mumm-Ra.

Not wanting to piss him off, Erica complied at sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. She was wondering why Markata was Mumm-Ra, as he always used that form when addressing the Generals and Pumyra. For Erica, it was always Markata. Not Mumm-Ra. Something wasn't right.

"There's something I wanted to ask you my dear lieutenant." Mumm-Ra said. He turned the chair around. "What do you think when you see me like this?"

She didn't know if he was asking a rhetorical question or if he was being serious. The latter seemed to be what he was asking for.

Erica scanned his body. There wasn't much to say about it. A bandaged body with sickly grey blue skin, a hunched back and a moth eaten red cloak. What stood out where his red eyes. White iris and red sclera, no pupil.

She knew what he wanted to say. Not human. A monster. That's what he is after all. Nothing about this form was remotely human. It was a form of fear and death.

Finally, she answered. "You're a monster. A beast. You're not human."

Mumm-Ra let out a small chuckle. "That is right lieutenant. It is rare you see me in this form when I am addressing you. I'm much fonder of my human form as it makes it easy to communicate with you.

He stood from the chair and went around the desk until he was in front of her. "Hold out your hand."

This was getting weird. And Erica had seen a lot of weird stuff when she was traveling with the Cats.

Complying, she held out her right hand only to have it grasped between Mumm-Ra's hands. "Such fair skin for someone as calloused as you. And soft skin as well. How do my hands feel?"

Again, Erica was sure he was asking a serious question.

"They feel cold. Your bandages are rough and your bones are… they're like I'm touching a skeleton. A corpse."

Mumm-Ra released his hold on her hand and sat back down on his chair.

"That's the first time anyone has ever called me that. A corpse. I do look like one. Except a corpse can't walk, talk, and think." He lowered his head, the hood of his cloak conceal the top part of his face. Except his eyes glowed. And they were staring right at her. Erica swore he was staring into her soul.

But she couldn't show fear. This was her General she was looking at.

"Let me ask you lieutenant," Mumm-Ra went on. "Which do you prefer? Mumm-Ra or Markata?"

This was a no brainer.

"Markata, sir."

"And why do you prefer my human form?"

"Because it's you. Mumm-Ra is just the by-product of whatever happened to you. Markata is human. He is real."

In response, Mumm-Ra smiled, flashing sharp dirty white teeth. "That's a very bold statement from you, lieutenant. All this time, I thought you liked Markata because he was human. I can see it's more than that."

Reaching for something in his cloak, he pulled out some sort of object and placed it on the table. Taking it as an invitation to hold it, she reached out and took the object. It was a remote with two buttons. A red one and a green one.

"Let me tell you something, Erica." Her head snapped up as he said her name, not her title. "We are a hateful species, us humans. Before, we hated each other because of certain superficial traits. The way we talk, the way we walk, our thoughts and opinions, certain religions, race and ethnicity, different lifestyles, people from different countries, what we do with our lives. As I mentioned, all superficial."

He waved his hand in the air, as if dismissing those superficial things. "But we still hated them. We hated each other. Sure, the majority of humans saw passed the superficial traits and learned to accept others. But deep down, inside of us, is hate. Where there is love, there is hate. No one is entirely innocent. Not you. Not I. Not everyone.

"Did you know we had access to powerful weapons, Erica?" He continued on. "Weapons of mass destruction. Capable of decimating entire towns into nothing but rubble. Killing many people, both guilty and innocent. Those who survived will forever be deformed and pass it along to their children. Weapons capable of destroying a planet over and over and over again."

Erica looked the remote in her hands. Was this related to what he was saying?

"I've see you've taken interest in that remote there. I've asked that little robot of yours to build it. The remote doesn't do anything. It doesn't have any wires nor is it connected to anything. This is more of a test. The green button will launch missiles of mass destruction. The red button prevents the launch of said missiles. So, let's begin."

Mumm-Ra cleared his throat. "There is a planet filled with humans. These humans are the ones I mentioned earlier. You are their god. You decide if they live or die. Choose wisely."

What he said earlier was true when she thought about it. They were a hateful species. Each individual had their own beliefs and thoughts. No one is the same. She knew she herself was capable of such atrocity. After all, she has killed before with no remorse. The difference was that the people she killed were animals. They didn't deserve to live. They killed humanity.

She pressed the red button.

"Good choice." Mumm-Ra said. "Now, imagine the same planet only this time, it's filled with animals. Which button would you press?"

No hesitation.

She pressed the green button.

"Hmm. Great choice, Erica."

Erica tossed the remote back on the table. Clearly the test was done. Now she waited for Mumm-Ra to say something.

What he did next was surprising. A purple flash blinded her and when her vision returned, Markata was in front of her.

"The day the animals rebelled against us, humanity died. Mass genocide in over a day. Our population was entirely decimated. It is only the two of us now. Before, humanity hated each other. But we put aside our differences to unite and defeat the animals. We have failed, but we will not die. Erica, we are human. They are animals. They are nothing. We… are humanity. And Third Earth is our battlefield. We will not lose this time."

An alarm rang in the office. Erica, startled by the alarm, she practically jumped from the chair. Markata pushed a button on the desk and a hologram screen popped out.

"Ah. It seems like a Shadow was detected near the Briar Wood. You know the drill, lieutenant."

Erica nodded and reached for the gun holster strapped to her leg. She pulled the gun to summon her Persona.

"Go to Cat Town and get Pumyra. I will put a sleeping spell over the city like I did last time."

Erica rushed towards the door.

"Erica."

She stopped at the door. She looked back at Markata. He was smiling.

"Remember what I said."

She nodded and bolted out of the room to the teleportation room.

Markata stood from his chair and went to the scrying pool in the throne room. As he looked into the pool, the reflection changed until he was looking at Cat Town. He performed the spell and waited. A few minutes later, Erica and Pumyra ran out of the city and into the direction of the mountains where the teleportation room was.

Markata went back to looking at Cat Town.

_We will win,_ he thought. _We will rise. _


	37. Memory

**Hey guys! Just popping in to give you another chapter! Since college is taking up most of my time, I don't have as much time as before. But luckily I managed to get some writing down!**

**The music I used for this is part of an OST from Undertale! It's called Memory. It sounds like it's played from a music box.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Echo sat on a stool watching Lion-O pick his way through various scraps of bolts, gears, and some unknown parts of a machine.

Jorma had recently returned from a trip with more machine parts than usual. "Hit the jackpot," he had said when they entered his shop. And he was right. There was an abundance of scarps and parts that littered the floor. Lion-O and Echo had to carefully step around parts so they wouldn't trip or worse, stub their toe against something.

(There was an incident one time when Lion-O stubbed his toe on a box and walked with a sort of limp. Luckily no one noticed.)

Echo fumbled with the hem of her tunic dress, wondering when Lion-O would be done with his search for whatever he was looking. She didn't mind being here with him or Jorma. She would often browse through the wares but never pick anything to take with her. Lion-O was the one with the tools and an expert at putting things back together while she just watched. Occasionally, she helped him pick out parts with her telekinesis, but never once picked up a tool to help. It was better watching him.

Even now, she liked watching him search for something. He didn't have any particular piece he was looking for. Today was more of a, "I'll find something and try and fix it" day.

"Hey, Echo?" She turned to Lion-O who was holding a handful of bolts in one hand and a metal plate on the other. "Can you lift some of this stuff up? I think I found something."

"Sure." _Okay. Just like Jaga taught me._

Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on a pile of technology and focused her psychic energy on them. One by one, pieces started to lift into the air. Soon, the space above them was floating with technology.

"Keep it there for a bit." Lion-O said. He rummaged through pieces of tech. After about a minute, he set down the bolts and metal plate. "Nothing here. You can put them back down."

As careful as she was, she set them down slowly. To her surprise, she managed to not break anything. A great accomplishment. She had to thank Jaga when they returned to the palace.

"I'm sorry if you couldn't find anything, Lion-O." Jorma said dejectedly. "I figured you would find something with the stuff I got."

In response, Lion-O smiled at him reassuringly. "It's fine. I'll still look around for something. I always find something new every time when I come here."

And he did. Their trips to Jorma would end in them going back to the palace with a few things. Why should today be any different?

Echo watched him move to a different pile, sorting out the pieces of tech. He would find something eventually. Though, not her.

As much as she was interested in the technology Jorma found, Echo never really had a drive or a need to look for something specific and fix them. When she first heard about technology from Lion-O, she was probably the only person who didn't cast aside his fascination with technology. And when he took her to Jorma's place, she believed him even more.

But, like her memory, she didn't know anything about them. When they were first talking, Lion-O had asked her if she was familiar with technology. When she said no, she could see the disappointment in his face. She was different, species wise. She didn't blame him for thinking she might know something.

And it showed. She would occasionally look through the stuff Jorma had found but never picked out anything for Lion-O to buy. So she just let him be.

A small gust of wind caused the flaps of the tent to open, letting in a small amount of sunlight. Something glinted on a table nearby, catching Echo's attention. On the table was a small wooden box with small metal parts in it. Stepping off from the stool, she went to the box and picked it up. The box didn't weigh as much. There was a ratchet lever on the side, a brown cylinder with pins scattered everywhere on it, and what looked like small thin metal combs. The metal comb was detached from whatever it was screwed on and a valve was resting on top of the comb. Echo jiggled it and she could hear some loose bits inside clinking inside.

"Hey, Jorma. What is this?"

Jorma came over and looked at the box. "I don't really know. I found it inside a crate. Not sure if it's a weapon or something else. Do you want it?"

This small box captivated her. It wasn't anything big like Lion-O would find. It didn't look at complicated as the other pieces of technology. And she did wonder what would happen if she turned the lever.

Lion-O came up to them, rubbing his hands on his cloak getting rid of some of the dust from the scraps. "Well, I couldn't find anything. What are you two looking at?"

Echo showed him the box. He lifted it from her hands and jiggled it, hearing the clinking noise inside. "What is this?"

"That's what I was telling Echo." Jorma chuckled. "I for the life of me can't even decide if it's a weapon or not."

"I'll take it." Echo said suddenly, startling both Jorma and Lion-O. "It looks interesting. And it shouldn't be too hard to fix. Can we get it Lion-O?"

For the first time, she wanted to fix a piece of technology instead of watching Lion-O fix something.

Even Lion-O could see the determination in her eyes. He pulled out his coin bag and gave Jorma some of it. "We'll take it."

Echo gave him a bright smile, a smile in which he returned.

* * *

"So I do it like this?"

Echo twisted the screwdriver so the screw could go in.

"Yeah, like that. Don't screw it in too hard. You might break something."

The two were in Lion-O's room, hunched over the small box on his table next to his bed. It was shortly after they were supposed to go to sleep. Echo had sneaked her way from her room to Lion-O's room with the small box in her hands. As soon as she entered his room, the immediately went to work on the box.

"For such a small thing," Echo said. "It has a lot of parts. At least it's easy to repair."

They made great progress so far. At the beginning, they had to take it apart to figure out what was causing the clinking noise. Once that was done, it was only a matter of putting it back together.

This time however, Echo put most of it back together. Lion-O did help out when she was stuck, but she managed to fix it by herself with some guidance. All that was left was screwing the last screw on the bedplate inside the box.

"That's it!" Echo jumped a little in her chair. She finally fixed it!

"Great job!" Lion-O patter her on the shoulder.

"So… let's see what it does." Echo said.

When fixing the small machine, they deduced that whatever it was, it wasn't a weapon. Now was the moment of truth.

Echo grabbed the small lever with her fingers and twisted it until it stopped. And she let go.

The cylinder began to spin, the pins causing the combs to raise up then go down, hitting something. And whatever the comb hit, it caused a sound. And with the cylinder rotating, the pins picked up more of the combs and making sounds.

It was making music.

It sounded like a piano. But instead of being loud, the music was soft, soothing.

Echo picked up the box and watched the cylinder spin. The sound echoed through the room.

"It's beautiful." Echo said.

She looked over at Lion-O, who was mesmerized by the music.

"Is it like a lullaby?" He asked?

"Maybe. I just want to listen to it more."

Echo set it back on the table and sat down on Lion-O's bed. The lion joined her. They didn't say a word. They listened to the music.

* * *

"Ro-E! Clean up day! Should Sunny clean?"

Erica waved a hand at Sunny, telling him to do whatever he wanted. About once a month, Sunny would clean up Erica's room until it was somewhat clean. Emphasis on somewhat. He wasn't allowed to clean the painting of the tree. Erica told him in a deadpan voice not to clean it.

She didn't pay attention to Sunny as he started to organize. Putting away clothes, cleaning the furniture with a cloth, and sweeping the floor. All while she was going through her bag, searching for something.

Her latest mission sent her to the City of Dogs. She snuck in there last night and broke into a store that was similar to Jorma's. However, instead of selling technology, this store sold maps and scrolls. She waited until the owner left and went in. She swept a bunch of maps and scrolls into her bag and left before anyone noticed her.

Now, she regretted stuffing them all here without rolling them up and tying a rubber band around it.

As she pulled each map out carefully so as to not rip any of them, she heard Sunny drag something across the floor. Glancing over, she saw Sunny opening a bag that was unfamiliar to her. Sunny reached in and pulled out a small bottle of ink. Then it hit her: That bag was the one she had when she had left the group. She must've forgotten about it when she came to live here in the black pyramid. Just tossed it aside and didn't touch it.

But it didn't matter. All that was in there was useless junk.

Erica went back to the maps, already having a few of them on her bed. She didn't pay much attention to Sunny as he started pulling out more things.

She was so focused on the maps, she didn't hear Sunny crank a small machine.

The melody took her by surprise.

Soft music played. Like a little piano was being played. Erica's hands stilled. She looked to where Sunny was and in his robotic claws was the music box she and Lion-O fixed.

After Thundera fell, she went back to the palace to bring supplies with her, not to mention her journal which was in her room. After getting the journal, she was about to leave when she spotted the music box on the floor. Kneeling down, she looked it over. She guessed the shock waves from all the explosions must've knocked it from the table it was sitting on. Luckily it wasn't broken. She tucked it in her bag and left the ruins of the palace.

And here it was again, playing a memory.

Sunny came over to her and held out the music box. She took it and held it in her hand.

Such a small thing. Such a small thing, to hold a memory.

When the music stopped, Erica quickly stood. "I'll be back." She left her room without another word.

* * *

Orange sunlight cut through the glass window, shining light on Lion-O. Outside his small shack, the world was beginning to wake up. Feet scuffling, voices calling out to each other. He awoke to this every day for the last six months.

Yawning, he sat up from his bed and rubbed his eyes. Today would be a busy day for him. Not only was he to hold a town meeting, he also had to help harvest the ripped fruits and vegetables near the settlement. A tiring day indeed.

He got out of bed and stretched, blinking his tired eyes. After getting dressed, he was about to leave when something caught his attention.

On a table near the door, there was a small box with a piece of paper resting on top of it. Curious about it, he picked up the paper hoping for an explanation as to what the small box is.

_I don't need it._

Confused, Lion-O turned the paper over. But there was nothing else on it. Did Jorma drop something off? Or was it Pumyra?

His gaze went back to the box and his blood ran cold. He recognized the box. He remembered the little parts of it. He remembered…

He lifted the box and began to crank the handle. When it wouldn't spin, he let go of it.

Soft music played.

This was the same music box he helped Echo fixed. Though now, it was Erica.

If the music box is here, it meant that Erica had come here to Cat Town.

Oddly enough, he wasn't scared that she was here. The fact that no one outside wasn't screaming or crying in pain, it meant that she didn't hurt or killed anyone.

The music continued to play. The soft melody calmed him. The sound really was beautiful.

If only things had been different.

But at least the music box had a good memory attached to it.


	38. Inside Out

**Surprise! Today, I was hit with inspiration and began writing as soon as I could. So you guys get another chapter today!**

**For the song I used, it's Inside Out by the Chainsmokers. Seriously go listen to that song right now. Like... now.**

**As usual, I don't own anything and all songs belong to their owners.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Echo was facing her greatest enemy yet. A blank piece of paper.

Normally, when there was a blank page, she would either doodle or write out her thoughts. However, this paper was not meant for doodling or for her personal thoughts.

She has to write a love note.

There was a tradition that many Thunderians practiced every year. On a certain day, the citizens were to anonymously write a love letter to their secret admirers. That letter is then folded in half and given to mail carriers who would pass along the letters to their designated recipients. Some, of course, would dare to write their names in hopes their admirer feels the same way. It was a tradition of love.

When Echo first heard about it, she didn't think about participating in it. She hardly knew anyone in Thundera. Aside from Sunda and Lion-O, she didn't interact with anyone. So what would be the point in writing one?

She wouldn't write one. Never. Nope.

Yet here she was, facing a blank piece of paper on her desk in her room.

_Why the hell am I doing this?_ She kept asking herself that question when she ripped a blank page out of her journal. It was pointless asking herself that. Because deep down, she knew why she decided to participate in the tradition.

It was for him.

Now all she had to do was write him a love note. Easy. Or at least that's what she kept telling herself. This couldn't be an ordinary love note. But she didn't want to write one that was way over the top. A poem? A sonnet?

Echo leaned until her head rested on the desk. This was going to be a challenge.

A knock startled her.

"Echo. It's me. Can I come in?"

She stood from her chair and went to the door. She knew the voice.

When she opened the door, she was greeted by Lion-O, holding a handful of letters in his hands.

"Little help here?"

Chuckling, Echo grabbed as many letters as she could and dumped them on her desk; Lion-O following suit.

"You got all these letters from your admirers?" Echo asked as she sat on her bed.

"Yep. And I'm sure there's more to come later today." He plucked a random letter and joined her on her bed. He unfolded it and quickly read it. "And I don't think I want to read any of them."

"So why'd you brink them here?"

"Well… I figured that I might get through some of them this year. Just to make my father happy. And I thought that you could help me?"

There was a lot of letters. And if more were to come, he would practically drown in them. So, being the good friend that she was, she reached out and picked a letter.

About an hour later, Lion-O threw the last letter on the floor. The pile that was on Echo's desk earlier was now on the floor.

"A lot of them were… bold." Echo said. By bold, she meant how many women poured their devotion to Lion-O. The majority of them were poems while some were letters telling him how they had admired him. There was even a sonnet among the letters.

Lion-O sighed, leaning back until he was lying down on the bed. "I just wished I didn't get them. The last thing I need is my father to want me to marry one of these girls."

"You'd rather find someone to love? Not have a marriage be arranged?"

"I prefer it that way. My father and mother fell in love with each other. It was true love, not just an arrangement between two people."

Echo never knew much about Lion-O's mother. She heard bits and pieces about her from him. She sounded like a wonderful mother. It was hard to imagine her being with a big and intimidating man such as Claudus.

"Every prince needs a princess to eventually rule a nation." Echo inched back on the bed, crossing her legs underneath her. "You will have to marry someone eventually. Maybe it'll be a love like your parents. You can't give up on that idea. It could happen."

Her words made him smile. "Thanks. I just want love that is real. Love that will last for years. If only I could find the right woman."

They were close, Echo noticed. Her knee grazing his leg. If she wasn't wearing leggings, it would be skin against fur. The thought of it made her blush. It went away quickly when Lion-O rise and stood from the bed.

"I should get back to my room now. I'll only have a few more hours of free time until the mail carrier comes back. Is it alright if I come later with more letter?"

"Sure. You're welcome here any time." She just realized what she said. Her mouth immediately shut and waited for his reaction.

Luckily, Lion-O didn't read it that way. "Until then." He left the room, leaving her and the blank page.

Echo went back to the desk and stared at the blank page. She was beginning to feel like she would never get the right words on paper. Hundreds of girls wrote their confessions to Lion-O. They easily wrote down how they felt. Why couldn't she.

She just needed to come up with the right words. No.

_Let's see. I could write about his eyes. No. I've read three letters about his eyes. His mane? Nah. Too obvious. I should've asked what type of girl he was interested in. I wished I could look inside of him and see what he liked. Love him both inside and out. Inside and out. Inside… out. Inside out. That's it!_

With a new found confidence, she grabbed her pen and began to write.

* * *

She never got to deliver the letter to a mail carrier. She didn't want to. She wanted to give it to him personally. The next day, after the event, she kept the letter hidden under her bed.

Then Thundera fell. She had forgotten about it when looking for supplied from what remained of the palace. She got the music box, but not the letter.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, however she viewed it, Erica remembered every word.

"Sunny," She told her bear, "go get me a paper and pen."

* * *

She was playing with him. That's what Lion-O thought as he held the folded paper. First was the music box and now this.

He hid the music box so no one would see it. That had been a few days ago.

Today, as he was about to leave the shanty home, he saw the folded paper. The same place where the music box was. How Pumyra never noticed it, he'll never know. She must've had a lot of work to do today that she didn't notice it as she walked out. But Lion-O saw it.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled as he unfolded the paper.

_When I see you, I see what you are made of._

_Bright teal eyes. Shocking red mane. Defined muscles. A fanged smile._

_I love the outside. I want to see the inside._

_I want to see you bend your chest open so I can see your heart. See what your heart wants._

_Nothing I want more than to see the inside. If I can't, there will be war._

_I wasn't to see what feelings makes you who you are._

_I want to take you apart, build you up until you're perfect, then take you apart and do it all over again._

_Nothing I want more than to see your brain. I want to see your thoughts, your hopes, your dreams, so that when we meet, no words will be exchanged. Only me reading your mind._

_My hands will reach up and touch your face. My hands will roam your body. I want my hands to remember every inch of you. If you go, my hands will remember. _

_But more importantly, I want to see the bright and dark. I want to love your brightness. I want to love your darkness. I want to love both. I want to love you._

_I want to love you Inside Out._

Once he was done, Lion-O folded the paper. Erica had wrote this. Or was is Echo? Does this mean that Erica still loves him?

Shaking his thoughts away, he went to a closet that was in his room. The closet kept his clothes as well as some tech he got from Jorma. On a shelf above, the music box was hidden deep in the closet. That way, no one could feel it if they reached up there. He'll keep the letter there.

But before he placed the letter on the shelf, he unfolded it and read Erica's words again.


	39. Practice Makes Perfect

**Hey guys! It's been a while, huh? Well, my old laptop had some damage to it so I had to go without writing a chapter for a while. But I got a new laptop a few weeks ago and after I installed everything onto it, I can now write again!**

**For the purpose of this chapter, I have decided to play around with Erica's telekinesis.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Again."

Erica bit back her lips and held out her hand again. Sweat dripped down her face as she tried to concentrate again. She could feel Markata behind her, staring at her hand.

"You have to remember what I told you. Your telekinetic skills are just a front for something more. Underneath that strength lies a new power for you to learn. Don't let it go away. Hold on to it. It's a wild animal you need to tame. It calls to you."

Erica focused all her energy on her hand. The air shimmered around her hand. She didn't know what would come of it. Markata seems to know but isn't telling her.

"Do you want that lion to kill you, lieutenant? Do you want those animals to walk this earth free with no remorse for humans?"

That angered her. She remembered all the scratches and the bites her body had endured. But all those scars paled in comparison to the one on her stomach. What he did. What that lion did.

He would die.

A flash of purple surprised her. From her palm, a small purple spark circled around her hand.

"Excellent." Markata said. "Let's keep practicing."

* * *

Another day, another battle with Erica.

Lion-O dodged left and right as the human slashed at him with her swords. But something was different. Usually, he would dodge them with quick ease. This time however, it seemed as if she was faster than him. He may be fast, but Erica was faster.

Before he could attack, she kicked him in the stomach and sent him back flying. The force of it caused him to cough violently, gasping for air. For a moment, he was worried if Erica may have caused internal bleeding. The thought went away as she kicked him across the face. Blood trickled down his nose and into his mouth.

He looked up and came face to face with the point of Erica's sword. She looked down at him with gleeful eyes, as if she was enjoying him being in pain. It was her smile that sent chills down his spine.

"Is this the best you got, Liar?" She laughed as she raised her sword. Lion-O closed his eyes and braced for the blade to cut into him.

A sudden sound of movement caught his attention, as well as Erica's. She frowned and seethed her sword. A yellow blur was heading toward them at high speed. Cheetara.

There was no way Erica could dodge Cheetara's attack.

Erica quickly stepped back and held her foot out. Cheetara didn't expect her to move fast and tripped against her foot. She tumbled into a stop, shocked by what had happened. She didn't have time to do anything as something grabbed her hand and dragged to towards Erica. The invisible force lifted Cheetara up until she was face to face with Erica.

"Was that the best you got? You're getting slow, cheetah."

She then slapped Cheetara, sending her to the ground.

"Two down, three more to go."

Erica looked at the ground around her. The tiger must be near. She got her answer when she saw dusty dirt floating on the ground.

She thrusted her hands forward and Tygra's invisibility was interrupted, sending him flying into a tree. A sickening crack echoed through the area.

"Learn from this, tiger." Erica said with a smile.

The sound of chains came from behind her. Panthro raised his nun chuck, aiming for her head. Erica ducked down as the blunt nun chuck missed her. Grabbing her sword, she cut the chain connecting the nun chucks and sucker punched Panthro. He grabbed his nose as blood gushed out of it. Erica took the opportunity to kick swipe his legs, sending him to the ground.

"One more to go."

Rock pellets flew past her. A distance away from her, Pumyra readied her wrist bow and sent another flurry of rocks at her.

Erica ran to her, dodging every rock with little to no trouble. Once she got close to her, she roundhouse kicked her face. She laughed as the puma collapsed into the dirt.

She looked at the fallen cats before her, shaking her head.

"I thought I was fighting the Thundercats. Not some cheap knock offs who can't even land a single punch, let alone a touch, on me. What have you pathetic cats been doing while I was gone? Napping."

The cats staggered to each other, hoping to fight her all at once. But the damaged she had done caused them to falter their movements. It was clear that she had won the battle. Again.

Lion-O felt his anger swelling up inside of him. He let out a growl and bared his fangs at her.

"Erica! Stop this now! Or else…"

"Or else what? You'll kill me? Because you've been doing such a great job of doing that. And I'm still here. Do you know why?"

She stepped back away from them until she halted. "It's because I've been practicing. Markata makes sure I get every opportunity to fight. Whether it be training dummies or random animals I come across, the end is always the same. Me winning. And you losing."

Lion-O was about to say more when she interrupted him.

"You have done nothing but play King to a pathetic town that doesn't even respect you enough to be king. You're nothing but a cub trying to be a king. And you have failed. I bet you haven't even practiced your fighting skills. None of you have."

She chuckled. "Speaking of practice. Let me show you what I have learned."

She held out her right hand.

Lion-O wasn't sure what she was doing. He was ready for one of her telekinetic attacks, but nothing happened. Nothing was being lifted.

But he saw a dark purple spark came from Erica's hand. Then another. The sparks then intensified. Soon, purple sparks escaped from her hand.

Suddenly, a small dark purple sphere started to form. The sphere grew larger and larger until it was larger than her hand.

Erica smiled. "Heads up."

She thrusted her hand and the ball went to them.

"Get out of the way!" Lion-O jumped away from the ball, as with the others. The ball hit a boulder behind them. Whatever the ball was, it was strong enough to completely shatter the boulder, sending pieces flying in the air.

"Aww. I wanted you to get hit." Erica lifted her other hand and the same thing happened. More spheres came towards them.

If those things caused a rock to shatter, who knows what it'll do to an actual living thing.

"Retreat!" Lion-O called out and ran away, ducking his head every time a sphere nearly hit him. He could hear his comrades running with him.

After what felt like an eternity, they escaped.

Lion-O collapsed to the ground, breathing hard. Had they stayed, they would've died. No doubt about it. And as much as he hates to admit it, she was right. He wasn't practicing with Omens as much as he should. And she had enough time to practice. To learn new moves.

Just how many tricks did she have up her sleeves?

* * *

**I****n case you were wondering, think of the purple sphere like Shadow Ball, from Pokemon.**


	40. Lost Boy

**Hey guys! It's Dark here. **

**I had enough time to post another chapter in between my school work. This one is sort of based on both Peter Pan and the song Lost Boy by Ruth B. **

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Echo heard the rain pattering against the Thundertank. It wasn't loud enough to wake up the other Cats, nor did it distract her as she read her fairy tale book. In her bed, she nestled under her blanket and angled the book so she could see the words from the light above her. Once she found a comfortable position, she relaxed and began reading.

Earlier that day, the plan was to go to a village to get supplies for their journey. Their trip was halted when it started to rain. The rain continued for hours, well into the night and Lion-O announced they would sleep and get the supplies next morning. Echo didn't mind the wait. Plus, it was better being in the tank than being outside like it was near the Berbil village.

She flipped a page of her book, finishing the tale of Alice. How Sunny managed to get a hold of this book, she'll never know. But she was thankful for the little bear robot.

The next page had the words 'Peter Pan' in big, bold letters. She wasn't that familiar with the tale. She flipped through the pages to find out that it wasn't that long of a story. At best, it would take about an hour and a half to finish it.

And sure enough, an hour and a half later, she finished the story. In a nutshell, the story was entertaining. Peter Pan fighting Captain Hook, the Lost Boys and their adventures, and Wendy Darling with her vibrant personality.

Echo should've been happy with how the story ended. But it made her feel sad.

The story was a reminder of how she didn't have a home.

Quietly slipping from her bed, she crept up to the front of the tank and sat down on the driver's seat. Through the windshield, she could barely see anything. Dark clouds covered the sky and drops of rain hit the windshield and trickled down the glass.

A part of her wished she could somehow push open the glass so she could feel the rain. Although she would probably face the wrath of Panthro if she so much as touches anything. So she settled with watching the rain.

Though there were dark clouds, she could see the three moons. Whatever shine they gave off barely broke through the dark clouds, but they were still there. Always there. Sometimes even in broad daylight.

Behind her, she could hear footsteps. She was familiar with the steps.

Lion-O took a seat in the passenger's seat. He glanced at her and she met his gaze. She smiled shyly and went back to looking at the dark sky.

"Have trouble sleeping?" Lion-O asked.

"No. Just thinking about home."

His ears perked up. "Home. As in your home?" Even in their travels, the two still talk about where she came from. Her origin story.

"Not my actual home. Just any home in general."

"What do you mean?"

Echo ran her finger along the seat. "I mean home as in somewhere where I feel like I belong. Third Earth doesn't feel like home to me. Thundera was better. But I felt like I didn't really belong there. And now here I am, traveling Third Earth. A planet I know next to nothing about. Nowhere to call home."

She could see Lion-O trying to come up with what to say to her. She has mentioned a few times before about her problems, and he was there to comfort her and make her feel better. But now it seemed like he was having a hard time trying to come up with something.

After a moment, he finally said something. "Why are you thinking about it?"

Echo then told him about Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, Neverland, Wendy Darling and Captain Hook.

When she was done, Lion-O had a confused look on his face. "That was a… interesting story."

She let out a small laugh. "I know it sounds silly, but it's a good story. They found a place that felt like home to them. I'd like to think that maybe, someday, I could find a place where I feel like I could belong. A place to call home."

Since she arrived in Thundera, she questioned her past. Who was she? Where did she came from? When she was adjusting to living in the palace, she could see how some Cats stared at her like she didn't belong. Like she was something different. Even when she went to the Slums with Lion-O and passed some Dogs, they stared at her. Two species wondering why this new creature was here.

When Thundera fell, she was sure the Book of Omens would guide her to an answer. When that backfired against her, she gave up on finding anything. That was until she met Sunny. He knew something. But just like the Book of Omens, he didn't know squat.

By then, she knew that she wouldn't find a place that felt like home.

"I'm like a Lost Boy. Except I haven't found a home yet."

That was the truth.

No one said a word for a moment. The silence was cut when Lion-O spoke.

"I feel the same way. After what happened to Thundera, what happened to my father, it felt like my home was ripped out of my hands. Though I guess it pales in comparison to your situation. I'm sorry if I can't say anything to cheer you up."

Echo felt a pang in her heart. He always did this to her, even when he didn't mean it. Just hearing him speak made her feel safe.

"You're here," she said. "That's comforting enough."

She smiled at him, telling him that she feels a bit better now.

"I'm glad we're friends." He said with a grin.

In this moment, Echo felt like she found a home.

* * *

Erica thumbed through the pages of Peter Pan. Looking at pictures of Peter with Wendy and the Lost Boys. It had been months since she has read the story. But she still remembers everything about it. The characters had a home. Except for her.

Erica gave up on finding a home.


	41. Help, I'm Alive

**Hey guys!**

**So, we're about to go into the mind of Erica. Let's see how this goes. The song I used is Help, I'm Alive by Metric. I think it fits well with Erica at this point.**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_I had another nightmare. I can't remember what it was. That's what scares me more than the nightmare itself. Not knowing what I was scared of. Not knowing what I fear. _

_There are no words to say how I feel at the moment. It's past midnight. The castle is silent. You could drop a pin and you can hear the sound from a mile away._

_I try to remember what the nightmare was about. All I remember is just being scared of something. I couldn't see what I was scared of. But I remember feeling scared. The fear envelopes me like a blanket. It somehow seeps into my skin, crawling up my spine like spiders crawling on my skin. My breathing was short and shallow. I couldn't control the trembling of my body._

_And before I could even understand what I was scared of, I woke up. These nightmares happen every now and then. I'm thankful they don't happen every day. I'm not sure Jaga would understand them even if I told him. He did explain that my powers would get stronger the more I practice and use them as often as I can. But I don't think he's an expert on dreams._

_There have been times when I was close to telling Sunda or one of the clerics, but I never asked. I don't want to hear them say that the nightmares will go away eventually and I should just forget about them. But how can I? Something isn't right. I know it._

_I'm just not sure if anyone will believe me._

…_Except Lion-O. As of now, he's the only one who knows about my nightmares. Well, technically he doesn't know about my nightmares. All he knows is that I have a hard time staying asleep. He's there when I need him, even in the middle of the night. I feel a bit bad that I haven't told him about the nightmares. But what could he do. It's best I keep it to myself until I know just what the hell is going in. For now, no one knows anything. I'm just glad Lion-O is there. When I talk to him about it, he knows the right words to cheer me up._

_I know he can't really help me, but at least he's there._

* * *

_I can't stop shaking. Even as I'm writing, it's hard to even hold the pen. I just need to write this down so it will prove that I'm not insane. That what happened to me was real._

_It's been a few weeks since I had a nightmare. My nights have been blissful. No waking up shaking and scared. I felt happy._

_That is, until what happened a few minutes ago._

_In my dream, I was floating in darkness. Then, a bright light blinded me. I closed my eyes. When I did, I began to hear voices. But they were speaking too fast for me to even understand any words whatsoever. The light was still there, so my eyes were kept shut. The voices were beginning to get loud. Loud enough that I thought a banshee was screaming directly in front of me. _

_I felt something touch me. The touch woke me up from the nightmare. I practically leapt out of the bed and look in the mirror. I stripped off my nightgown and checked every part of my body to see where I was touched. After a while, I came to the conclusion that it was something in my dream that touched me. That still didn't make me feel better. I put back on the nightgown and sat on the bed, breathing in and out deeply. That didn't work to calm me down._

_My nightmares are something I couldn't see. It was feeling fear. _

_This time, I felt something. But I couldn't see what it was._

* * *

_I've always known that I'm different than everyone else. Hell, I'm a human and the majority of the citizens here in Thundera are Cats with the few exceptions of other species coming in for trade._

_Earlier today, I was with Lion-O at the library. His father had tasked him to read books about war strategy and learn about the history of different wars throughout Third Earth. He asked me to come along so it wouldn't be boring. Truthfully, I think he asked me because he liked my company. It was the same for me when he was around._

_We sat down at a table far from anyone so we could concentrate. Lion_

_-O had brought five books from the shelves. Looking at the spines, I realized I had read two of the five books. When I was first learning the language, I had to read different books from the library to get the gist of the language and its grammar. I'm a fast learner so I was able to understand the language quickly._

_Lion-O was starting to read one of the books when a Cleric passed by. He glanced briefly at me and continued walking. In that brief moment, I could tell that he pondering my origin. Only a few of the Cats know I'm a human. The others think I'm a Wood Forger. Jaga had clarified to Claudus that there weren't any recordings of humans in any of the books. Not even the scrolls that are in the archives have any information about humans. I'm one of a kind, apparently. _

_The Cleric was simply curious about me. Even if he asked, I don't have any answers for him. It's strange not having answers about who and what I am._

_At least the Cleric wasn't rude about it. Unlike others. They don't know that I've seen their stares. I can tell that some are weary of my presence, like I might do something. I could try and assure them that I'm no danger, but like I said, I can't give them any answers._

_I looked at Lion-O, who was too busy reading. I studied him carefully. We're completely different, species wise. He's a Cat. I'm a human. _

_I'll be honest, I sometimes wished I was a cat. That way, I can easily fit in more and not feel like I'm some kind of alien. I didn't actually want to be a cat, of course. I just wanted to fit in more. I'm the black sheep of the city. _

_The more I looked at Lion-O, I began to get distracted by parts of him. He wears sleeveless under armor so his arms are exposed. When he moves his arms, I can see the muscles of his biceps and triceps. I blush just looking at them. I'm even blushing as I write this down. If his muscles weren't a distraction enough, it was his red mane I was distracted with. Sometimes, I wish I could brush my fingers against it, feel the hair go between my fingers. I wonder if it's soft. Then there are his eyes. His bright blue to my sky blue. I find myself lost in his eyes. The combination of his mane and eyes are just… captivating._

_He lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck and I got a full view of his biceps. _

_Damn him for making me blush. _

_Even though we're from a different species, he does make me feel like I can be comfortable being a human. He never once made me feel like I was an outcast. He made me feel like I was at home with him and some of the other Cats._

_I'm glad I have him for a friend._

* * *

_I had the dream again. Nothing but pitch black. Noises coming from nowhere and everywhere. Fingers clawing at my body. Bite marks. I know none of it is real, but it feels like it._

_Why am I having these dreams? _

_Why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why._

* * *

_It's been a few days since Thundera fell, and Lion-O hasn't been the same. _

_He changed. He isn't the same friend I've known for six months._

_I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. He did lose his father, not to mention his home. Gone. Of course he wouldn't be the same. I didn't know what to say to him. Although, given his attitude right now, I don't think he's been in the mood to talk._

_Right now, we're camping in a clearing. Everyone is asleep but me. I had to silently crawl out of my bedroll so as to not disturb Kit and Kat who chose to sleep next to me. I sat by the fire we kept lit and stared into the flames. It was what Lion-O was doing earlier. _

_When we made camp, he didn't utter any word other than telling us we're camping for the night. Tygra got the fire going while Cheetara divided up the rations. After eating, the kittens, Tygra and Cheetara went to bed. It was just me and Lion-O that were awake. _

_It's rare when it's just the two of us that are alone. Well, the others were a few feet away from us, but it felt like we were the only people left on Third Earth. _

_He stared into the fire, as if he could make the flames go higher and brighter. He didn't even notice when I scooched a little towards him. Seeing that we were the only ones awake, I tried to say something. But nothing came to mind. I was a bit scared that he might snap at me if I so much as say something. Except he was my friend, he wouldn't do something like that. Would he?_

_A part of me wanted to wrap him in a hug and tell him that we're alive. Or even just touch his shoulder. Just to comfort him. Though, with how he's been acting, I doubt he'll like that._

_I didn't even notice he had stopped starting at the fire and was looking at me. He caught me staring. I felt heat on my cheeks. He had this surprised look on his face. Before he could ask anything, I quickly excused myself and went to my bedroll. I wasn't tired, but I didn't want to explain why I was staring at him._

_After a while, he went to bed. _

_I hope he gets better._

* * *

_My heart is beating. It almost sounds like a hammer to my ears. I feel as if my heart will burst out of my chest._

_Another damn nightmare. Only this time, it was about water. There are demons in there. I can see glowing eyes beneath the water. The waves are like claws. The demons grab my legs and pull me under._

_I woke up, sweating, panting._

_My heart won't stop beating._

_It won't stop._

* * *

_We found the Book of Omens._

_It didn't show me my past._

* * *

_Another nightmare. I woke up and swore I saw a shadow hiding somewhere nearby. I'm not crazy. I saw it. It was there. I'm not crazy._

_I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy._

* * *

_I have to keep moving. I can't sit still in my dreams. I have to keep going. Where. I don't know. So long as I'm not standing still. I can't stumble. If I do, they'll get me. They can hear my heart beating. That's how they know where I am. Those monsters in my nightmares. They follow me everywhere. The scars on my body prove that. _

_Someone help me._

_Lion-O, help._

* * *

_Help, I'm alive._

* * *

Lion-O tucked the journal underneath his bed. It was a bad idea to read it. He didn't need to be reminded of how Echo… how Erica served Mumm-Ra.

Curiosity got the best of him in the end. And now he regretted it.

_Help, I'm alive._ He couldn't get those words out of his mind. Even as he stepped out of his shanty house, the words played in his mind as he went to go get something to eat.

If he was being honest, he was hoping to find more answers about the human.

What he found was the psyche of his former best friend. She was scared. And he knew nothing about it. She never told him.

Maybe if he had been there more for her, if he had just taken the time to sit her down and talk, she would be here with him.

So many ifs.

There was nothing he could do about it now.

_Help, I'm alive._

Lion-O would find a way to ease her suffering. He would find a way to make her less scared.

He wanted her to be happy she was alive.


	42. The Velvet Room

**Hello guys! It's great to be back.**

**A while ago, while I was trying to come up with an idea for a new chapter, I was currently obsessing over Persona 5. It's been released in Japan last month and won't be available in America and Europe until February. That got me thinking about the chapters me and WAR wrote about Erica and the tarot cards. Then I got the idea of Lion-O getting his fortune told. And who better to tell his fortune than an infamous person with a long nose.**

**What helped this chapter was listening to The Poem For Everyone's Soul. It plays whenever the MC enters the Velvet Room.**

**Have fun!**

**As usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The bustling noise of the market district would be a bother to most people. Vendors yelling out prices of their items, people shuffling back and forth to different stands, children running around. But to Lion-O, it felt like home.

Earlier that day, he gathered the rest of the Tundercats and told them they were going on a trip. That trip involved getting supplies and possibly a map. Not just a regular map, though. If they were going to explore Third Earth, they would need a specific map that would show them places not even the Book of Omens would.

The town they were in was a merchant city. Buildings pressed up against each other like stacks of blocks and stands as far as the eye could see.

"Alright." Lion-O said as they reached the plaza. "There are lots of vendors selling pretty much everything out there. We're just getting the essentials and that's it. Nothing more."

"Same goes for you, little brother." Tygra said. "We don't need you spending money on more technology."

Lion-O ignored the comment and focused his attention on the stands and vendors. "Cheetara, I want you, Tygra and Panthro to get food. Pumyra, go get medical supplies. I'll go look for a map. There's got to be cartographers around here."

"What about us?"

Kit and Kat looked up at Lion-O with glee in their eyes. It's been a while since the kittens ever got to go anywhere with the rest of the Cats. And since they were in a market district similar to that in Thundera and Dog City, they were excited to explore the new area. And curse them and their innocent eyes. Lion-O reached into his satchel and pulled out some coins.

"Since this is your first time here, go get what you think is useful for the team. And maybe get something for yourselves."

"Alright!" Kat snatched the coins and the two, along with Snarf, ran to the market.

"You sure it's a good idea to let them wander about?" Cheetara asked.

"They'll be fine." Panthro answered. "If they survived the slums and Dog City, they'll do fine here."

Once everyone knew what they were getting, they split up and went their ways.

As Lion-O looked left and right for a cartographer, he was asked several times by vendors if he wanted anything. He kindly said no and continued on. It wasn't until he saw a flower stand that he did stop. The woman behind it, a bird, saw him and gestured him forward.

"Well hello there, sir!" She said in a cheery voice. "Care to look at my beautiful home grown flowers? You won't find them anywhere else. Mine last longer and smell great!"

The flowers were in every color possible. From bright red to a sky blue to a soft pink, there were many to choose from.

Then, Lion-O saw one flower in particular that caught his attention. It was a pink one with petals that spread out wide and got closer and narrower near the top.

It would be perfect for Pumyra. He picked the flower. "I'll take this, please."

"Excellent!" The florist took the flower, wrapped a thin piece of paper around the stem and handed it back to Lion-O. "Hope your lover really likes it!"

He paid the florist, said his thanks, and continued on. The flower didn't cost that much, so he had enough money to get a map. So long as the map wasn't expensive. He remembered the many cartographers that visited the palace saying how much it cost to buy the papers they draw the maps on.

It would make sense that someone would be selling maps in a market district. Most of the people shopping are from different parts of Third Earth. Surely they would want to explore the planet, and what better way than using maps.

Unfortunately, after walking for what felt like hours, Lion-O couldn't find any cartographer selling maps. He'd looked at every stand and vendor, coming up with no results. When it came clear he wouldn't be able to find one just by looking, he asked a vendor who was selling spices. When the vendor said there was no cartographer selling maps, he gave up and was now sitting on a bench in between two stands. The market was even more busy than when he had arrived. A sundial nearby told him it was around lunch time, which would explain why there was more people. Speaking of lunch, he was starting to get a bit hungry. Since there was no cartographer to buy from, he could spend a little bit on some lunch.

Lion-O stood from the bench and was about to walk to a stand selling candy fruit when a flash of dark blue caught his attention.

A blue velvet tent sat between two stands. However, it wasn't remotely close to the stands. There was a considerable distance between them. Lining the edges of the tent was golden tassels. Displayed onto the top of the tent was an insignia of a sun. One side a light grey, and the other black with a mask in front of it and like the sun, one half was a different color than the other. Left side was black and the right was light grey.

There was something about the tent that made him want to go in. He'd never felt a pull like this other than when he saw technology. Despite his better judgement, he went in.

Pushing aside the flaps, the inside of the tent was the same color as it was on the outside. When the flap behind him fell, two standing torches lit on fire. A desk was in the middle of the tent. A hooded figure sat behind the desk.

They raised a gloved hand. "Welcome to the Velvet Room."

The person, a man Lion-O assumed by the voice, gestured to the chair across from him. "Please." He said. "Have a seat and enjoy yourself."

As much as Lion-O was uncertain about what was going on, the man didn't pose a danger to him. By now, he figured out the man was some kind of fortune teller. Back in Thundera, he had seen many fortune tellers come in and out. Some read palms, used a crystal ball, and reading tea herbs. This fortune teller didn't have any of those. Instead, there was a deck of cards.

Curious, Lion-O took a seat, eager to see what the man has to say.

"My name is Igor, and I will be reading your fortune today. Tell me, do you believe in fortune telling?"

"Sort of." Lion-O said. "I've never been one to believe what someone tells me. It's hard to determine your future, let alone control fate. But I am fascinated by it."

"A wise young man you are, young lion." Igor said. "What is your name?"

"Lion-O."

"Well Lion-O, before we begin, I have to ask. Do you know what a tarot card is?"

Lion-O looked at the stack of cards. "No. But I'm guessing it's those, right?"

"Right you are." Igor lifted a hand above the cards and they began to float. The back of the cards had the same insignia as the one on the tent. "Tarot cards may just be cards with drawings on them, but they hold so much power. They can determine your future and your destination." Igor lowered his hands until the cards were back on the table. Then, in a sudden motion, he swiped his hand across the desk and all the cards were splayed out.

"Now, let us begin. Remember, how you interpret this fortune is up to you. You can choose to believe what the cards say or not. Keep in mind that they never lie. Pick a card."

Lion-O looked at the many cards before him. He raised a hand and let it hovered above the cards. Randomly, he plucked a card on the left side. Flipping it over, the card was blue with a silhouette of a flame in the center. Below the flame are two silhouettes of hands as if summoning the flame from their fingers. Above the flame were two eyes.

"The Magician Arcana." Igor said. "The Magician represents creative power ready to start a new cycle for the individual. There is action that needs to be done, an initiative. You have self-confidence about what it is you are doing. You want to accomplish your task, creating a new world."

Lion-O felt his mood go up. He did want to defeat Mumm-Ra. He wanted to create a new world for everyone.

"Set the card down and pick another card." Igor said.

Setting the card down, Lion-O picked another card. On it was what looked like a king wearing silver lined with red.

"The Emperor Arcana. Very interesting." Igor said. "The Emperor is someone who wants to protect and defend his friends and loved ones. He offers guidance and is established in a family of royalty. Through experience, he has overcome many obstacles and can share wisdom among his people. It also represents stability. In any event of chaos, the Emperor can strategize their plans and can solve the problem soon. You, Lion-O, have a desire for peace, law, and most of all, restoration. Very fitting for a king like you."

This startled Lion-O's attention. "How did you know I'm a king?"

"Judging by that gauntlet and sword, you don't seem like any ordinary cat, now do you?"

What Igor said was true.

"Pick a next card." Igor said.

Lion-O hesitated, then picked one. It was beautiful, to say the least. There was a silhouette of a heart connected by branches of a tree. On the left side was a man and on the right was a woman.

"Hmm. The Lovers arcana." Igor chuckled. "Those of the Lovers arcana means they are either in love or are in an intimate relationship. Two lovers overcoming anything in their path so they can be together through desire. I take it from the flower you are holding that there is someone special in your life?"

Lion-O was busy focusing on the reading that he completely forgot about the flower.

"O-oh yeah." He chuckled. "I wanted to give it to my girlfriend. I thought it looked beautiful."

"Don't you think she will get jealous you're giving that flower to someone else?" Igor asked.

"What do you mean? I only have one girlfriend. I would never cheat on her."

"There is someone else. I'm getting a strong feeling coming from the arcana. You are in love, and you are loved by someone. Did you know flowers have a language? They aren't just pretty things to look at. What you're holding is a pink Camellia. It means longing for someone."

Longing? He never knew there was a meaning for flowers.

"The Magician, Emperor, and Lovers. Choose your next card."

The next card Lion-O chose looked foreboding. A tower was hit by lightning, the top part of the tower falling to the ground. What was more terrifying about the card was two people falling from the tower.

"The Tower arcana. It makes sense." Igor said.

By now, Lion-O was getting anxious. The Tower card didn't give a good impression based on the art.

"Lion-O. You are an emperor. You seek peace and giving wisdom. You want to rule a kingdom based on your ideals. The Magician comes into play. Your goals are what inspire you to create a new world under your control. And there will be a lover by your side. But your lover will also lead you to your downfall. Your feelings will get in the way. There will come a time when you will have to make an important decision. That decision will cause chaos."

Igor raised a hand and the card Lion-O was holding was lifted out of his grip. It slowly ascended to the other cards in front of him.

"The Tower represents an on-coming destruction toward your stability." Igor continued. "The destruction will leave you dazed, bewildered as to what has happened. The structures you have built will collapse. Your ideals will collapse. There will be a change. And it will not be a good one. But don't fret. Part of the tower is still standing. There is hope to rebuild. It all depends on you. What will you do once the tower has fallen. Rebuild? Or let it crumble?"

By now, Lion-O wasn't sure if what Igor was saying will happen. He'd always believed fortune tellers exaggerated their predictions. Once, in Thundera, a palm reader said he will find himself in a precarious situation. What the situation was, the palm reader didn't say. Lion-O shrugged it off, thinking the 'situation' would be something simple like his father finding out how he felt about being a king and having a long discussion about it. Then Thundera fell.

Now here he was, in front of another fortune teller who was so sure about what his future will be like.

Igor raised a hand and all the cards were now stacked. "I believe our session is done here. It would be best if you think on what I said. Fortunes may be a silly conundrum. But there's always a truth to them. And never underestimate the truth. Good luck on your journey."

Lion-O wanted to ask more questions. There was no way Igor could predict something like that without knowing who he was. However, it was Igor's reading on the Lovers tarot that made Lion-O all the more suspicious. Two lovers. Pumyra is his girlfriend. The other one…

"Who are you?" he finally asked.

If Igor was smiling, Lion-O couldn't see. But for some reason, he could practically feel Igor smiling.

"I am Igor. This, is the Velvet Room. We exist between dream and reality, mind and matter. Only those who have signed some sort of contract can enter this place. However, I decided to make an exception and visit this realm. To see you, Lion-O. Do you know why? It's because you are seeking an answer. And I have provided one. Now it's time to leave. Have a wonderful life. And remember, never underestimate fortunes."

As much as he wanted to ask more questions, Lion-O knew their conversation was over. If he asked anything else, he had the feeling Igor would dance around the question. He stood up and exited the tent.

He began walking back to the plaza when he stopped. Something told him to look back. And when he did, his heart practically skipped a beat.

The tent was gone.

As if it was never there.

To his surprise, he felt something in his left hand. When he looked at his hand, he was sure he was going to have a heart attack. It was the four cards Igor has read. The Magician, Emperor, Lovers, and the Tower.

_Never underestimate the future_.

He slipped the cards into his chest plate and continued on to the plaza. Once there, he sat on a stone bench, waiting for the others to show up. After a while, he could see Pumyra and the other Cats coming from one part of the market. He must've guessed they met up along the way and walked together.

Seeing Pumyra reminded him of the flower, still in his hand. Discreetly, he dropped the flower behind him. She mustn't know what happened. None of them should. This would be his secret.

He stood and met the gang halfway.

"Couldn't find a cartographer?" Tygra asked noticing Lion-O's empty hands.

"No." Lion-O shook his head. "There wasn't any around. I'm sure we'll find one in a different town. Let's go."

The Wily twins raced ahead to the Feliner while the other followed. Lion-O took up the rear, watching his companions. They'd fought through hell and high water up until now. There was more to come.

He felt the tarot cards against his chest. It was as if they were reminding him of what was to come.

* * *

Igor was nowhere and everywhere at once. He could feel the many worlds flow by him as he walked a foggy path. He discarded his cloak, revealing a balding head with white hair growing on the sides and the lower part on the back of his head. The cloak had hidden his long pointed nose very well along with his eye brows, pointed ears and bulging bloodshot eyes.

If that lion had seen his appearance, he would've been scared. Scared of his appearance and his almost resemblance to a human. In that realm, there was only one human. If he were to present himself to the lion without a cloak, it wouldn't have ended good. Granted, he wasn't human, but he couldn't take the risk.

It was fun being in a physical realm instead of somewhere in-between dreams and reality. He rarely did that. But it was Lion-O's inner voice that called out to him. Many visitors of the Velvet Room had called to him without even realizing they were calling out to someone. Igor would go to them in their sleep along with one of his attendants. This time, however, he visited Lion-O when he was awake. The lion is carrying the world on his shoulders as well as many burdens. If Igor was to visit him in his dreams, Lion-O would simply pass it off as a strange thing. Igor had to see him in the real world to get the lion to understand. To see what was ahead of him.

Now that his job was done, he felt no need to return to that realm anytime soon. Whatever happened there was completely up to Lion-O. No one else.

Igor stopped walking. Somewhere, a voice was calling out.

In an instant, he was in a room decorated in blue velvet. No matter how many times he did this, it was interesting to see who the new visitor would be.

And he would never get tired of saying these words.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."


	43. A Talk

**Hey guys! It's been a while hasn't it? Well, I've been busy for a while, what with school and everything.**

**But worry not, I'm here with a new chapter.**

**Now, to keep you all up to date, I do have another chapter planned but it might be a while before I post anything. But I hope you'll enjoy this short chapter.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

He found her perched on a rock slab, her back to him, staring up at the grey cloudy sky.

Behind him, he could hear the far distant battle of his comrades fighting the generals. He'd half expected her to be with them, only to be surprised she wasn't there. He looked around and saw her sitting far away from them.

They were on a mountain path far from Cat Town. It was his usual team (minus Kit and Kat) and their original plan was to find an easy way to make a trade route in the mountains. Things were going well… until the generals appeared along with a battalion of lizards.

The fight was evenly matched between the two groups. However, Lion-O could see that the generals weren't fooling around this time. They were giving it their all. Tygra barely avoided getting his head chopped off by Kaynar's ax and Panthro had nearly gotten impaled by Addicus's spear.

Things were not looking that great for a moment. But the Thundercats began to fight back harder. They were beginning to win.

But Lion-O knew that Erica would show up and cause hell for them. Even if they had the advantage, Erica could easily incapacitate them with one flick of her wrist. If she did show up, they would have no choice but to retreat.

When she didn't appear, Lion-O began to worry. If she was planning a sneak attack, they were done for. He quickly looked around and spotted her far from them.

Without waiting, he dashed towards her. They both were evenly matched in their swords. He could easily take her down.

Except it didn't look like she was ready to fight. It was like she didn't care about what was going on behind them.

After what felt like an eternity, she turned around and faced him.

"Well hello there, Liar. I was wondering when you would show up."

She stood up from the slab. She was dressed in full black uniform with grey buttons and black knee high combat boots. On her sides were her swords, still in their scabbards.

Lion-O raised Omens. "What are you doing here?"

"Now now, let's not get hostile, Liar. I just want to talk."

There was nothing in her voice or body language that indicated she was lying. In fact, she looked relatively calm. As calm as anyone can be, given the circumstances. Still, Lion-O didn't drop his defenses.

"I'm not going to hold back this time, Erica. If I have to kill you, so be it."

The corner of Erica's mouth turned up.

"How about this? Let's have a talk. No swords, no fighting. Just words."

Erica tossed her swords aside and held up her hands to prove she was telling the truth. Still, Lion-O didn't budge, his hands still gripping Omens.

Erica sighed and shook her head. "I knew it would be like this. And here I was thinking you'll listen. Sunny."

She snapped her fingers. Lion-O didn't have enough time to react as a small yellow ball with black patches knocked Omens right out of his hands. The ball uncurled itself, revealing it was a Berbil. It only took a few seconds before Lion-O realized it was Sunny, Erica's Berbil friend.

The Berbil bounced up and down in excitement, waving his robotic arms as far as they could stretch. "Did Sunny do good, Ro-E?"

"Of course my little ball of sun. Now be a good little robot and make sure he doesn't get the sword."

Sunny nodded and took a defensive stance in front of Omens. Lion-O knew the bear couldn't do much, but when he was in his ball form, it could do some damage. His hands still hurt from getting hit by Sunny. He rubbed them, trying to ease the pain.

Erica saw this and scoffed. "Grow up, pathetic kitten. You've taken more damage than that before. Are you that weak of a cat? I should've guessed."

Lion-O could practically feel his rage build up inside of him. He wasn't weak. He wasn't. But to her, he was. He would prove her wrong. Starting by now showing any weakness. Despite the pain he still felt, he let his hands fall to his sides.

"Much better." Erica said. "Now, can we talk? Or will Sunny have to knock you upside the head to get you to listen?"

Sunny in response looked like he was ready to curl into a ball again.

As much as he didn't want to listen to Erica, he knew it would mean either injury or death. Not wanting any of that, Lion-O nodded.

Erica smiled. "Perfect. You know, I was worried there for a sec. I figured you wouldn't listen and attack me. I'm glad you're starting to use your brain this time. No more of this charge-into-battle-with-no-strategy crap. You're starting to mature a bit. Just a bit, though."

"I thought we were going to talk, not have you insult me."

"I'm merely pointing out your flaws, Liar. There's nothing wrong with that. And technically, we _are _talking."

She began to play with a loose thread on the right sleeve of her uniform. "Things have changed. You're the king of a small shanty town and I'm exacting my revenge against you. We've been busy with our own plans. It makes me wonder how we'll survive this. I have to admit, you've done a passible job of trying to be a king, but you still lack what it takes to rule an entire kingdom."

Lion-O didn't know whether to yell at her or stay quiet. Everything she's saying is just her opinion. Though, he does see some truth in her words. He isn't even a king of a country or kingdom. The animals in Cat Town do look up to him. Except for a few who see him unfit to be king, let alone rule a small shanty town. He's heard the hushed whispers about him. The rumors of their shanty town crumbling under Mumm-Ra.

He never let those words get to him. He can't let himself be influenced by rumors. A kingdom need a strong king.

"I can see you're thinking." Erica said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Whether you believe me or not is up to you. We both have goals. And only one of us will get to achieve them. The question is: Who?"

She stopped playing with her sleeve and looked directly at him. Lion-O could make out the light blue of her eyes. He has heard saying about how eyes are windows to the soul. For a moment, he imagined what Erica's soul might be like. He thought of her soul as a swirl of smoke. A smoke what was dark in color. Pitch black to the point where it looked like if he reached his hand into it, it would disappear and continue forever. In the darkness, he thought he could see some lights. Here and there, appearing one second and gone the next.

_There's some good in her,_ Lion-O thought. He wanted to believe that Erica wasn't truly evil. Before, when she was Echo, she was kind, inquisitive, and a bit tempered when she needed to be. As much as he despised who she is now, a part of him still wanted her to come back, to be Echo again.

But her soul was still black. Those bits of light fading away until there is nothing but darkness.

It was Mumm-Ra's fault she was like this. That monster turned his best friend against him.

Erica stared blankly at him, not moving an inch.

"You know," She began. "I've always wondered what makes you tick. How someone like you can be so determined to stop an evil entity when most would run and hide? Of course, you can wield Omens. And you are a king. I can't deny that. As much as I despise you and want to kill you, there's this admiration I have for you. Neve giving in."

She curled her hands into fists. "What I don't understand is why you would hurt me. You've been this merciful king who never kill anyone even when you had the chance. You spared them. Except for me."

Her voice wavered between anger and hurt. "You hurt me, Liar. In more ways than one."

There it was again. Her calling him a liar.

"Erica." Lion-O said. "Please tell me what I did?"

"It's rude to ask a question you already know the answer to."

"What answer? Stop being cryptic with me and tell me."

"The answer has always been with you. You just choose to not acknowledge it."

Lion-O tried his hardest not to snap at her. But he couldn't control it. "What about you? You're not exactly innocent here either, Erica! You've killed. You're just as guilty."

He'd expected her to snap back at him. Instead, she smiled. "You're right. I did kill. And I don't regret it."

Now her eyes had this sudden shift. Lion-O could see madness in them. And her smile was malicious. The two-combined made her seem like a monster. A demon.

"You nearly killed me, Liar. You and those other animals nearly killed me. But I won't die. I won't die until every last one of you is dead either by Markata or by me!"

Rock began to float. Lion-O remembers how her feelings can affect her powers.

"You are nothing more than a child king who doesn't know how to run a kingdom. You act on pure instinct. How many times did we have to bail you out of trouble? How many times did you get me and the others in trouble? Face it, you'd make a terrible king, Liar."

Lion-O couldn't come up with anything to say. Nothing he could say would make anything better.

"Before," Erica continued, "I was a girl with her heart laid bare. Now I'm a girl on fire."

She threw her arms out and her swords flew back into her arms. She gestured with her head to Omens. Sunny quickly ran from Omens and took shelter behind a rock. Lion-O took the chance and dived for Omens. He could feel Omens radiating with power.

"Now." Erica said. "Let's talk with our swords."

* * *

***Cue Lusamine Battle theme from Pokemon Sun and Moon* (Seriously that song is amazing and fits Erica well.)**


	44. Untold Feelings

**Hey guys! Dark here with a new chapter!**

**So as some of you know, WAR added a new chapter! I loved the chapter! That surprise though!**

**For this part, I'd like to think of this as what Erica might think. _Might_. Obviously, this isn't canon and season 2 is pretty much told from Lion-O's POV. In which I decided to write about Erica after Legends Part II.**

**This chapter closely resembles one of my old chapters No Care but instead of Erica thinking about not caring, it's Lion-O who has these feelings.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

To say Erica was cold hearted would be an understatement. To say she was a blood thirsty homicidal psychopath would be spot on. With these traits, it would be hard to imagine her with any feelings.

No care in the world.

That wasn't the case, however. True, she did not show her true feelings. But they always have a way of surfacing at bad moments. In this case, watching Pumyra getting killed and Lion-O crying.

There he was, crying over someone who betrayed him.

At first, she didn't care. In fact, she was glad the puma was gone.

_She was too weak minded. Couldn't finish the job. Something so easy and simple. I told Markata about her. _

The sound of Spidera screeching drew her attention.

_That's right. Got to take care of this thing._

With the essences flaring, she punched one of Spidera's leg. The spider cried in pain. The power of the essences along with her punch had left a gaping hole in the leg.

_One down. Seven more to go. This'll be easy. _

She reared back her fist and was ready to strike.

_SHINK_

Lion-O rushed her. She was taken aback by his sudden appearance. He had his sword ready. She didn't have a chance to dodge.

Jumping out of the way, Omens struck her hand. The sword didn't cut off her hand. It did however, flayed it, causing the glove to fall.

Instead of screaming in pain, Erica simply stared at it. The blood didn't gush out so much as it trickled from the open wound. Even bits of bone were sticking out. At least he didn't completely chop off her hand.

Oddly enough, while she felt pain, she felt numb about it. There had been pain before and after she lost her memories. Some from animals. Some from herself. Some from accidents. But now the pain was next to nothing, like an afterthought.

She didn't expect him to do this. Sure, he'd sliced at her leg and knocked her out for a few seconds. But this was new. For once, he wasn't holding back.

Glancing up at him, she saw the fury in his eyes along with pain and sadness. Tears were streaming down his face like a river. Those tears were meant for someone else. Not for her. It was the same when she took the essence from Myst and saw Lion-O cradling Pumyra.

Right in front of her, Lion-O laid his heart bare for everyone to see. All because of that puma.

For a brief moment, that same anger she felt back at Plun-Darr surfaced again. The anger flared bright with the intensity of a thousand suns. She wanted nothing more than to take her sword and stab him through the stomach. Or slice his head off. Or gouge his eyes out. Something to get rid of the anger.

Something was holding her back, however. Lion-O wasn't trying to talk her out of her alliance with Markata. He wasn't telling her about the times they spent together in Thundera.

Lion-O was going to kill her.

No care in the world.

No care.

Erica had never seen him like this before. Where did the hopeful, optimistic lion go? Who is this angry, violent lion?

If he wanted to kill her, then there was nothing stopping her this time.

Lion-O brought down Omens on her. At the last second, Erica jumped out of the way. She wasn't fast enough as Omens slashed at her stomach, leaving a bloody gash. It wasn't as bad as when he skewered her with Omens.

_Markata will fix it,_ she thought. _He'll fix my hand and my stomach. _

Erica failed to catch her footing and stumbled back on a slope going down into the pitch-black darkness.

_Good. He won't see my anger. I won't see him cry._


	45. Gifts

**Hey everyone. Dark here with a special Christmas chapter!**

**Seeing how it's the season of gift giving, why not have a chapter about Christmas. **

**And even if you don't celebrate Christmas, at least you get a new chapter!**

**And also, Echo and Lion-O's outfits are inspired by a costume in a video by Epic Reads on YouTube. I liked the outfit and decided to have Echo and Lion-O wear them.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy, and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and any other holidays you celebrate. **

* * *

White fluffs of snow gently fell from the soft grey clouds. Echo reach out to catch a snowflake only to have it melt. She was miffed by this, not being able to even see what a snowflake looks like. She heard from other Cats that snowflakes are all different. This intrigued Echo. To imagine millions of little snowflakes looking different was exciting to her. So much snow, so many different snowflakes.

Of course, she spent over an hour trying to catch one with her hands and failing miserably when they melted. Once she admitted defeat, Echo plopped down on a chair, slouching. She was out on a balcony of the palace, looking down at the snow-covered city.

This was Echo's first time experiencing snow in Thundera. She arrived sometime at the end of summer, entering fall. When the cold air came as well as the snow, Echo was surprised to see white stuff falling. She saw rain and one time hail. But snow was something different.

When she first saw it, Lion-O asked her if snow was something she remembered before. When she said no, he told her that she would enjoy it. Believing him, she donned on special winter clothes the seamstresses made. It was purple coat adorned with silver buttons, fur on the shoulders and a high collar. Underneath the coat, she wore a purple long-sleeved shirt. Her skirt was also purple, ending just below the knees with purple pants and black boots. To top it all off, she wore a puffy purple hat. What was special about the coat was that the sleeves went beyond her arms and ended a few inches above the knee. There was a hole cut onto the elbow sleeve, meaning she could put her arms out and if she were to get cold, she could tuck in her arms into the sleeves. It was a nice outfit, she had to admit. It was a shame it can be only worn in the winter.

"Enjoying the snow?"

Echo looked over her shoulder and saw Lion-O standing underneath he doorway, wearing a similar outfit like hers, only it was a dark blue and had the crest of the ThunderCats at the center of the coat. He had a warm smile on his face. Seeing it warmed Echo a bit.

"It's good." She said. "Very calming."

And it was. There was something about the whiteness of the snow that made the city feel like it was in some sort of white, peaceful wonderland. From her view, she could see some of the citizens roaming the city, children playing in the snow, and people leaving taverns. Even in the snow, Thundera is lively as ever.

Lion-O sat down next to her and looked at the city. "I've always liked the winter time. Having snowball fights with Tygra, playing in the snow, and staying warm by the hearth. Winter in Thundera is almost magical." He turned to look at her. "And now you can experience the magic too."

His words rung true. Yesterday, she and Lion-O had a snow ball fight in the gardens. It looked like he was winning, but Echo used her powers to make the snowballs hit him every time. They both had fun. Later that day, they sat by a hearth and drank warm tea. It was good day, yesterday. Almost magical.

"It is." She said.

They sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the view and Lion-O stood up.

"Care to join me for a walk?" He held out a hand to her. "My father wants me to drop off something to a friend of his. And I want to visit Jorma, see if he has anything new."

"Sure!" She didn't mean to sound enthusiastic, but she never went out to the city in the snow. Not to mention it had been a while since she visited Jorma. How could she not be happy?

Lion-O chuckled. "That's the spirit."

Echo reached out and took his hand. He pulled her up and pulled her along back inside. He let go of her and the two walked side by side. Her was tingly and warm from the touch. It was nice when she held his hand. Even though she knew he didn't feel the same way she did. It was nice.

* * *

"Well that was eventful."

They both were in Lion-O's room as he pulled out some tech he got from Jorma. After dropping off an item to his father's friend, they went to Jorma's shop. During the winter, Jorma left his usual shop by the cliff and was now in a shanty house nestled in the Slums. Or rather, Echo went to Jorma's shop. Since Lion-O liked to go to the Slums wearing a cloak, he couldn't go there without being acknowledged by the citizens. When they left, they didn't bring their cloaks with them. Palace guards saw them out, some people saw them at the plaza. If they left with cloaks, the guards would tell Claudus, which would end in Lion-O telling them about their surprise visit to Jorma So, Echo went in his place while Lion-O waited in a park.

After getting the tech, they went back to the city to rest on a bench somewhere. That's when things got interesting and… funny.

Near the town plaza, they spotted a bench near a shop and went to straight for it. However, the frozen ground thought otherwise. Lion-O started flailing as he tried to regain his balance on the ice. He ended up falling on his butt. Echo couldn't help but laugh.

Careful not to slip on the ice, she took a few cautious steps back then ran. She stopped running was now sliding on the ice. She stopped just a few inches from Lion-O and held her hand out to him. Which was a big mistake. He grabbed for her hand, but couldn't get a good footing on the ice and he ended up bringing her down on the ground. Both were silent before the started to laugh at their situation.

Then Echo came up with an idea. She gave Lion-O the sack that was carrying the tech and told him to tuck his knees up to his chest. Doing as she said, he didn't know what she was planning. Once he was in position, Echo used her powers to push Lion-O across the ice. As soon as he was out of the ice, Echo did the same thing to herself.

That was how they spent their time.

"At least there weren't that many people at the plaza to see." Echo stated.

"I know," Lion-O said, "but it was fun. Remind me to always invite you to town in the winter."

"Noted."

She sat on his bed and watched him empty out the sack on the desk. He pulled out the last item and sat down on a chair, pulling it close to the desk. Echo then moved farther down the bed, close to the desk. She watched as he separated the different tech. She glanced to the window, seeing more snow fall. When they were on their way to his room, she overheard a maid saying that there could be a few more inches of snow coming. Meaning it could be hard to get through the city. But she didn't mind staying in the palace. As long as Sunda and Lion-O are there, she was fine.

As she looked at the snow, a thought came to mind. Such a beautiful thing, the snow. Did people celebrate the snowfall?

"Hey, Lion-O. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure?" He was still separating the tech.

"Are there any holidays or festivals during the winter time?"

Lion-O set one last piece of tech near a pile and looked at her. "No. Usually, it gets cold to the point where it's best to stay indoors. We have the Harvest Festival, but that's only celebrated at the end of autumn, when farmers harvest the vegetables, fruits, and plants so the cold doesn't kill them. But no, nothing special in the winter. Why?"

Echo stood from the bed and went to the window. "Because look how beautiful the city is. Pristine white everywhere. It's so beautiful, it screams for a holiday or festival."

"Well, the children don't have to go to school when it snows, so that's one thing. It would be nice if we did have a celebration, though."

"Exactly! Something everyone can do. Even if they're stuck home. But what?"

She began pacing, thinking of different ideas for a celebration. But nothing came to mind. She shrugged at him in defeat.

Seeing this, Lion-O stood and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's fine. Even if there isn't a holiday or festival, at least we're here together."

Again, she felt the same tingly warm feeling when his hand was on her arm. Because of this, she smiled.

"Yeah. You're right."

When his arm fell, Echo turned her attention to the tech. Seeing them, something came to mind.

"Oh! That's right! Wait here. I'll be right back."

She dashed out of the room, leaving Lion-O confused. A minute later, she came back with both her hands behind her back.

"So umm… I have something I want to give you. It's a thank you gift, for… you know, being a good friend."

She raised her right hand and held out a circular object with a thin chain attached to it. Lion-O took the object from her, examining it closely. It was a watch. At the center of the watch, where the both hands met, he could see small gears. As the second hand moved, the gears moved as well.

"You told me how you liked looking at gears." Echo said. "So, I asked Jorma if he could make you a watch with some of the gears visible. I hope you like it."

"Echo, it's great! Thank you!" Lion-O quickly put on the watch like a necklace. "I've been in need for a watch. I can't thank you enough."

Echo felt heat on her checks. She timidly smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

"I do. Sorry I didn't get you anything."

"It's okay. You can do it next winter, if you want."

Lion-O nodded. "I'll be sure to get you something."

This moment, Echo was glad, thankful to have Lion-O for a friend.

"Hey." Echo saw a shine in his eyes, like he had an idea. "How about we do this every winter. We give each other a gift. It doesn't matter if it's homemade or not. So long as we give them to each other."

A celebration. Just for the two of them.

"That'd be nice." Echo said.


	46. Wings

**Hey guys! Dark here.**

**So while I was brainstorming about what chapter I should write, Pumyra came to mind. As much as I disliked her for her deception, I did feel a bit sad for her. So I decided to dedicate this chapter for her.**

**And yes, this chapter involves Persona.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything. And the Persona used in this chapter belongs to Atlus.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Pain was something Pumyra was familiar with. Physical and emotional. The bruises that marked her body showed what she had to endure. Crying and anger showed her true feelings. There had been a lot of pain. By now, she was used to it. She welcomed it should the situation ask for it. Pain was familiar. A constant companion throughout her life. Right after Thundera fell up until where she was now, skewered by Spidera.

She had failed. It was an easy task. Kill Lion-O. Oh how many times she came close to finishing the job. He let his guard down when he was with her. There was no reason to keep watch because she was with him. She had every opportunity to slash at his throat, poison his drink. But she didn't. And now she faced the consequences.

She was tired. Failure hung on her shoulders like a boulder. Each step the boulder grew larger, more heavy. The metaphorical weight of it was too much to handle. At some point, she would have to let go. She did just that.

Never in her life would she ever guessed of what was to come of her fate. When she was born, infinite possibilities lay in front of her. Then, Thundera fell. For a while, the possibilities ceased to exist. Until she was brought back to life. After, there was only one thing she had in mind. Revenge.

But even she couldn't do it. Deliver the killing blow.

Lion-O had spared Erica. Even when the human deserved to be killed, something stopped Lion-O. She was in that same situation. Unable to bring the knife down. It should have been easy. She had every reason to kill him. He left her behind to die. Her king had left her.

Even so, she couldn't kill him. Now she understood why he never killed Erica. It was because he became important to her. Somehow, his optimism, his kind heart, his enthusiasm, his need to create a peaceful world had hindered her mission. She had believed in him. His dreams had what stopped her.

Lion-O stood in front of her, tears streaming down his face. Her heart hurt seeing him like this.

But she was used to the pain, both physical and emotional.

_Lion-O. Mumm-Ra. I've failed you both. I'm sorry._

With that, she died.

* * *

Stars. Stars were everywhere. Infinite shining crystals dotted the ink blue space. Pumyra spun slowly, looking at the infinite space she was in. Her feet were touching the ground, but there wasn't any ground at all.

There was no one. Just her. Alone in this empty yet filled infinite space.

Just as she was about to wonder where and why she was here, a flash of white light blinded her. She covered her eyes with her hands until the light dimmed. In front of her was Io, her Persona.

For a moment, Pumyra was confused. She didn't summon Io. She didn't have her gun with her.

Pumyra stared at the chained woman, wondering if the goddess would do something. Then, a light started emanating from her. The small light grew bigger and bigger until Io was shrouded in the light. The light began to fade. Io was no longer there. In her place was a statue of sort. A woman's face was in the center of a bull's head, the horns protruding upward. A red oval disk was in-between the horns. Below the bull's head was the torso of a woman. To the side were glorious red and blue glass wings.

The name escaped Pumyra's lips. "Isis."

Her Persona had changed. Io was no longer chained. She grew wings. She was free.

Free.

Pumyra smiled.

_I'm free._


	47. Lynx-O

**He all.**

**As you can probably guess by the title, this chapter will be about Lynx-O. If any of you remember, Lynx-O was in Omens and after that he was never to be seen from again. Until now.**

**Since the creators of the show didn't give any indication he was alive, along with the show being cancelled (WTF creators?), we know nothing of Lynx-O's fate. That is, until I decided to intervene and tell you his story.**

**As per usual, I own nothing.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Lynx-O was known to have a heightened sense of smell. Even his other senses, touch, taste, and hearing were beyond that of any animal alive on Third Earth. It was almost otherworldly how his senses surpassed others. He could hear an assassin stalking quietly in the night; he could smell animals from miles away; he could guess what he was touching, what he was holding in his hands; he could taste poison in tiny bits of food. These skills have helped him throughout his life. And all it costed him was his sight.

He lived in a world of darkness. From a young age, all he saw was black. No light to shatter the night. He knew very much he was alive. His other senses were not affected. The smell of his mother's cooking would lead him to the kitchen. The sound of his father's wheelbarrow snapped the fallen leaves would tell him it was autumn. He had long adapted to his blindness.

Later, as he grew up, he wanted to do more. There was more out there. Even if he couldn't see it, he knew what a big world it was. And so, he enlisted in the Thunderian Army. At first, no one was sure what to expect from the blind cat. But Lynx-O had proved to them that he was a skilled fighter. He used his hearing to know when the opponent swung their weapon and where they would step. He proved to be a great fighter. Later, Claudus would grant him the title of general. As the years went by, his patriotism for Thundera was hailed by many. In the eyes of the citizens, he was there hero.

If only that were true now.

When the lizards attacked, he was ready to lead the Thunderian Army and fight along them. However, they were easily decimated by the technology the lizards possessed. One by one, his comrades fell. The screams of terror and panic shook him at his core. For the first time in his life, Lynx-O was scared.

He soon found himself alone. Everyone else was dead or hiding. It was just him and an army of lizards ahead of him.

Normally, he would head straight into battle with determination, not matter how many enemies there were. This time, he knew his determination wouldn't save him. He could smell them, their scents mixing together along with the blood of his comrades.

This is where he would die. He didn't want that.

He ran.

Before, he was looked upon as a hero. Now, he was a coward.

Lynx-O was at a monastery. Or at least that's what he assumed the building was. It was in ruins, _that _he knew was true. He had used a thick branch from a tree to use as a walking stick. Occasionally, the stick would hit rubble or pillars. This monastery had long been abandoned. If Lynx-O had to guess, no one had visited the monastery in probably a hundred years or more.

He kept moving forward until his walking stick hit something. Leaning down, Lynx-O felt whatever was in his way. It was wooden and seemed to stretch out. A pew. He stretched out his arm to the other side and felt another pew. If he was at the center between them, then the altar was ahead.

When he was at the altar, he knelt down and bowed his head. "Forgive me, Gods."

After Thundera fell, Lynx-O had been wandering Third Earth. Every town he had visited, he kept to himself. Staying at inns, buying supplies, working sometimes, and would leave until he had come across another town, only to repeat the same tasks. He was not proud of himself.

Before, he had been a proud general of an army. He was a great warrior.

Now he was a hermit. A wanderer. A coward. A year of having being a wayfarer.

It was a miracle he had found the monastery. During his journey, he felt a burden resting on his shoulder. Not only did he dishonor his patriotism, he had dishonored the Gods. Some nights, he felt like the Gods were gazing down at him in contempt. Laughing in mockery while Lynx-O worked at various inns and taverns. What he wouldn't do to ask for forgiveness. But since he ran away from Thundera, there would be no forgiveness for him.

He was about to pray when he smelled someone.

Shoulders stiff, he kept his head bowed, not wanting to show he had known someone was there. The smell was… alien. It didn't belong to any animal he had encountered.

The person chuckled. "Look at this. How the mighty have fallen."

Lynx-O flinched at the words. How had this person known about him? From what he heard, the person was a girl; a young adult.

"The famous General Lynx-O reduced to nothing more than a wandering hermit," the girl went on. "Such a fall from grace, wouldn't you say?"

The girl kept walking until she was short distance away from him. "It took a while to find you. But here you are. You may not have been aware, but every town you stopped at, you left an imprint. A blind cat working odd jobs. That's a fine description the townsfolk have given you. They told me where you were going and I followed."

Tired of her words, Lynx-O stood, his back still facing her. "What is it you want from me?"

"Let me cut to the chase then." Lynx-O heard a _shink_ sounds. The girl had pulled two swords from sheaths "You're still alive. You're a strong general. I'm not going to risk the Liar finding you or you finding him."

Liar? Lynx-O didn't know who she was talking about. But apparently, this 'liar' is an important person. And if this girl went out of her way to personally find him, she was meant to kill him.

Lynx-O grinned. It had been a while since he fought. And this girl seemed like a worthy opponent.

He didn't give the girl a chance as he reached to his leg strap, grabbed a dagger, turned and threw it at her. As he did, he grabbed his other dagger and charged at her. If the girl did manage to dodge or deflect the dagger, there was no guarantee she would be able to recover in time to defend herself.

He heard the girl swipe at the dagger, creating a _clink_ sound. Lynx-O was ready to plunge the dagger into the girl when something stopped him. Not a metaphorical stop. He literally bumped into something. It was as if a wall had suddenly spurted from the ground.

Before Lynx-O could understand what was going on, he heard the girl lift her leg and kick him in the chest. The kick was powerful enough that he went flying. His back hit the steps leading to the altar. Groaning in pain, Lynx-O struggled to get up.

The girl snickered. "Let me guess: you're wondering what happened. Let me tell you." She reached down and grabbed him by his tunic, bringing his face closer to her.

"You've never met me. You were always at the watchtower; and when you were in Thundera, you would go straight home, never the palace. And when you did visit, we've never encountered each other. I'm sure you would've picked up my scent. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not an animal. That I'm sure you know. I'm something special. If you would've gotten to know me, you would know what I'm capable of. The wall, the kick, all someone like me is capable of doing. You can't stop me. Your senses will not save you this time, you blind geezer."

Tired of her idle talk, Lynx-O thrusted his dagger at her. The girl pushed away from him before the tip could pierce skin. When she was a safe distance away, he stood and held his stomach, his breathing short and shallow.

Whoever this girl was, she would be the end of him. There was no doubt this girl will kill him. This was like the time he faced the lizard army. Except instead of a horde of lizards, there was only one girl.

Lynx-O would be lying to himself if he didn't think about running away. If he ran, he would have more days to live. But when he thought of that, he knew he would repeat the same things he has been doing the past year. Get killed by this girl or repeat the same mundane routine every day in shame. It was a lose-lose situation.

This was his punishment. His punishment for leaving Thundera when the people needed him. The Gods had given up on him. How ironic he would die in a place of devotion. The Gods have a sense of humor.

If he were to die here, so be it.

Taking a deep breath, he focused on the girl. Sniffing, he estimated she was several yards away from the altar. He heard her grip the sword. There was a moment of confusion. She had two swords with her. If she was holding one, where was the other. Did she put it away when leaped back from him?

If so, then he would have no problem battling her with one sword.

Releasing a mighty roar, Lynx-O once again charged at her. Dagger and sword met, their holders pushing against each other. Up close, he got a good scent of her. She smelled of trees, some kind of soap, with a bit of perspiration. He would memorize this scent. Should he escape, he will know when she's coming from a mile away.

The girl was winning in their struggle. He took a step back and tried to push forward. It was to no avail. The girl was much stronger than he was. The last year he hadn't been training. His muscles were now tired, wanting to relax.

_No, _he thought. _Not this time. I will not fail. _

Lynx-O jumped back, hoping to get enough room to counter her next attack.

He made a chocked sound as something stabbed him through the stomach. Blood tricked down from the wound. Reaching out, he felt the cold metal of a sword.

The second sword. How? It was as if it was floating there all the time. How could he be oblivious to it? Even with his blindness, he should've heard the sword moving. Just like the wall, this sword was not normal. This girl was not normal.

This is it. He was going to die. Lynx-O let out a small laugh as a few tears ran down his face.

The sword was pulled out and he collapsed to the ground, holding a hand over his wound. The girl laughed.

"This is way too easy. And here I thought you would be a challenge. What a pity."

The girl walked up to him, nudged him with his foot until he was on his back. She planted a foot on his chest, putting pressure on him so he wouldn't escape.

Lynx-O was coughed up some blood. He felt his body getting tired, the life draining out from him.

_Forgive me, Gods._

The girl raised her sword and brought it down to his neck.

* * *

A sack sitting on his desk was the first thing that greeted Markata as he entered his office.

The sack was nestled between a glass of water and a spell book. Markata raised an eyebrow, questioning who would put a sack in his office. Then he remembered the mission Erica went on. The task was to kill Lynx-O. Earlier, while he was doing recon on a certain area, she had called and informed him the job was done. And that she would leave a present for him.

Walking around the desk, Markata grabbed the sack and opened it. He smiled.

Starting at him from inside the sack were milky grey eyes.


	48. Hunger

**So as many of you know, WAR posted a new chapter and holy crap was it good! Sad but good! I can't... I can't put it into words.**

**Immedietly after reading the chapter, I got the inspiration to work on a new chapter. This will focus on Lion-O and what he did.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Beaten. Bruised. Bleeding. Lion-O was all three.

He lay there on the stone marble as Cheetara tended to his wounds. She was drained of most of her magic but poured every ounce left onto his body. He would have to thank her later when he wasn't so tired.

Their mission was bittersweet. The taste of it felt real in Lion-O's tongue.

They have the essences.

However, Pumyra died.

Just thinking about her made his eyes water. Over and over, the image of her body dissolving into a strange fluid. She was here, then gone.

Here then, gone now.

Cheetara pressed a hand against his wound, muttering a spell to stop the bleeding and close the wound Spidera had caused. Another scar to add. Another wound to be reminded of what had transpired.

As much as he tried not to think about it, his brain wouldn't allow it. Pumyra. Dead. Here then, gone now.

"Try to relax, Lion-O." Cheetara eased him forward and began running her healing hand over his back. "I can't do much, but I'll try."

Once she was done, she eased him back gently to the floor. Before his head touched the floor, he saw his armor nearby. Cheetara had to strip him of his armor to heal the wound. The armor reflected light from the moon and the green fire Cybele had conjured. Underneath his armor, something reflected the light of the fire. Four small rectangular items.

The Tarot cards.

How had Cheetara missed them? Surely she would've seen them when she took off his armor. Somehow, the cards were attached to the inside of the armor and stayed there. Lion-O guessed they must've fallen from the armor when Cheetara set it down.

His head was finally on the cold, smooth floor. He didn't acknowledge Cheetara as she began to bandage him. No other feeling crept into his mind. Instead, he felt tired. His eyes were starting to drop. As much as he tried to keep them open, he was losing the battle.

Just as he was about to sleep, something blue caught his attention. It was a butterfly. Its wings glowed blue as if it was creating it. He had heard of lightning bugs, but never a glowing butterfly.

The butterfly fluttered past.

Lion-O fell asleep.

* * *

[**C****ue: ****The Poem for Everyone's Soul]**

When he woke up, he was not in El Dara.

Jerking awake, Lion-O looked around for his friends. What he found was blue. Blue velvet.

Blinking away the blurriness, he assessed his new environment. The room was of royalty. Each wall had a blue banner with the Thundercats rune on them. The room was sparsely furnished. He was on a bed (which was blue, of course) and in the center of the room was a table with two chairs.

One chair was occupied by a cloaked figure.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, Lion-O"

Eyes widening, Lion-O fought to hold a gasp. It was the man who read his fortune.

"Igor."

Igor chuckled. "How nice of you to remember my name. I must admit, it's been a while since we've spoken."

Pushing himself off the bed, Lion-O went straight for the chair opposite of Igor. When he sat down, he realized something. He wasn't in any pain. He wasn't wearing his armor, the wound Spidera had caused was still there, and so were the bandages. But he didn't feel fatigued or sore. It was as if he was completely healthy. What was going on?

As if reading his mind, Igor spoke. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a "contract may enter. You are not asleep but not awake either. In this realm, physical pain does not exist, so you are fine.

"As for the contract, I decided to twist the rules and visit you once more."

Lion-O felt something odd. The last time he spoke with Igor, he had foretold his future with Tarot cards. After the reading, Lion-O couldn't shake off the feeling that Igor knew something was going to happen. Given what had happened a few hours ago, he was right.

"You know what happened?" Lion-O asked.

"Indeed, I do," Igor responded. "I must admit, I haven't seen such carnage like that in a while. However, we're not here to discuss the battle. We're here to discuss you, Lion-O."

Igor moved his hands over the Tarot Cards Lion-O didn't even know was there, and swiped them both ways.

"As before, I Gave you the opportunity to select four cards." Lifting a finger, four cards floated in the air. The back of them was facing Lion-O. Then they turned and showed the pictures.

"The Magician," Igor began. "The Emperor. The Lovers. The Tower. These Arcana represent what will happen in your future. What each card represents to you as an individual."

The cards were then placed on the table in front of Lion-O. Each image stared up at him. Amazing how these small drawings held so much meaning to them.

"Now," Igor began, "I will give you the opportunity to draw some cards. There is a catch, however. Instead of four, you will only select two."

"Two?" Lion-O was confused by the sudden change in plan. "Why two? Aren't you supposed to be helping me or something? Why else would you be here?"

"I am here only to tell you what each Arcana means. It is you who decides your future by selecting a card. Now then, pick two cards."

Gazing at the cards, Lion-O reached out and let his hand hover over the cards. Before, this seemed innocent. Just a simple fortune telling. Now, it felt ominous. These cards held so much power. Each meaning good or bad. Or even both. It literally felt like he was choosing his own destiny. If so, then he had to be careful.

He picked a card from the left side. On the card was a silhouette of a man who looked like he was dancing. In one hand, he was holding some kind of staff. On the man's neck was a dull yellow collar. To top it all off, the man wore a jester hat.

"The Jester." Igor lifted a finger and another card was lifted. It turned and on it was a silhouette of a man holding a stick with cloth sack tied at the end. Behind the man was a silhouette of a dog.

"This is the Fool Arcana. The fool represents many things. Freedom, madness, spontaneity, inexperience, chaos, innocence, divine inspiration, and creativity. The holder of said card has the potential to become all or one of these traits. It represents the beginning of an adventure.

"When you set out from Thundera, your journey had begun. You were an innocent lion with no idea where to go. Throughout your journey, you faced many hardships. But you never gave up. You persevered through the chaos and madness, though inexperienced. Your creativity for wanting to start a new life as a king is what helped you. At one point, you had a divine intervention from someone. This led you to have divine inspiration. Each event was spontaneous but you acquired freedom in the end. At least, that's what the Fool Arcana would say."

The Fool turned and went back to join the other cards. The Jester was gently pulled from Lion-O's grasp by invisible hands.

"The Jester is the opposite of the Fool. Though opposite, they do share symbolism. Ignorance, spontaneity, and freedom. Though they are in a suppressed form. You are now at a time when these traits are trapped inside of you. Because of that, it will hinder your current relationships. You will be unwilling to work with others and are misguided in what your next journey will be like. The Fool is a genuine fool in regards to life. But in a good way. The Jester, however, acts like a fool instead of being a fool. Lion-O, you are a Jester."

The original four cards Lion-O drew began to move. The Magician, the Emperor, and the Lovers moved to the left, leaving a big space between the Tower Arcana. The Jester was then placed next to the Lovers.

The path had changed. Lion-O was beginning to feel anxious. This was his future on the line. The next card will determine what will happen that will lead to the collapse of the Tower.

Igor gestured with his hand to pick the next card.

Heart pounding, palms sweaty, Lion-O reached for the cards. His had was shaking. This is it. The moment that will decide his future.

Releasing a deep breath, he chose a card on the right side.

Flipping it over, his breath caught. His heart skipped a beat.

The drawing was of a silhouetted woman floating. Below her were seven monsters with their mouths open. Above the woman was some type of vase. The drawing did not look good, that much Lion-O knew. Something about it felt… Wrong. Scary, even.

"The Hunger Arcana," Igor said as the card was plucked from Lion-O's grasp. The card floated right in front of him.

"The Hunger Arcana represents danger. The danger of losing control and being consumed by power. While the card implies strength, that strength is only available through Dominance. It is not true power. It is pure bliss of abusing power."

The Hunger Arcana was set between the Jester and the Tower.

"Listen carefully to what I have to say, Lion-O. The events that will happen not long in the future will be determinant by your hands. The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. You will become a Jester. A misguided Jester unwilling to work with your close friends and commands. You will be seen acting like a fool to others. They will not see you as a king, but a Jester.

"The Hunger Arcana is what I described earlier: Power and Control. You will find yourself in a situation where instead of rational thinking, anger will cloud your mind. Anger over the loss of someone you loved. The anger will make you do something to give you strength. That strength will be of dominance. Not true power. Abusing power. That will have consequences. Fatal consequences. You will become a king who will abuse his power."

The five cards flipped over and went back the other cards.

Jester. Hunger. Lion-O will become this. The rational part of him wanted to deny these claims. But a part of him believed Igor was telling the truth. The Tower hasn't collapsed yet. The Jester and Hunger will lead to that collapse.

This man. This man knew what would happen. Lion-O felt angry. Why wasn't Igor helping him? Why did he have to go through so much pain when this man sat there calmly without a care in the world?

Call it curiosity or stupidity, Lion-O didn't care. He reached over and ripped off the cloak. He gasped from fright and dropped the cloak.

Igor wore a black suit over a white shirt with a loose tie around his neck. He had a long pointed nose, pointy ears, eyebrows that needed a good trimming. A bald spot on top of his head with white hair hanging in the back.

His eyes. Those eyes. His eyes were wide open as if he didn't have any eyelids. There wasn't an iris, only small pupils. Bloodshot eyes stared at him.

He looked human. But not exactly.

"W-who… What are you?" Lion-O had only seen Erica and Mumm-Ra's human form. He had never seen another human.

Igor chuckled. "Would you believe me if I told you I used to be a doll before?"

Lion-O didn't have time to respond as the room began to fade away. He suddenly felt tired. His eyes were beginning to close.

"I wish you luck on your journey, Lion-O."

Igor disappeared and so did the room.

* * *

The Jester. The Hunger.

The words repeated in his mind after Omens had shocked him. The electricity burned his arms, causing him to drop Omens. The blade shrunk. He collapsed to the ground, writhing and moaning in pain.

Omens had done that to him.

Before him lay the broken parts of Sunny. The Berbil didn't even have a chance to know what would happen. He stilled after some time. No mechanical parts whirred. Sunny was truly dead.

And he did that.

Earlier, when he woke, he found that only a few seconds had passed and Cheetara had finished bandaging him.

What happened next passed by in a blur. Sunny showing up, Kit and Kat trying to defend him. Then Erica appeared. She wanted Sunny back. The Berbil was precious to her. A friend.

Lion-O felt anger swell up inside of him. How dare Erica beg for someone when the woman he loved was dead? How dare she beg for something when he watched Pumyra die?

What was worse were the things she said about Pumyra. Calling her a traitor. How she wanted to kill him. How she never loved him.

That was the last straw.

He would make her suffer like he did.

He killed her friend.

Erica screamed. She cried. She lost control of her power. He could feel the powerful gale force winds threatening to pick him up. He had gathered what little strength he had left and pushed himself up.

The wind stopped. A green light flashed. Grune was there. He yanked the broken parts of Sunny from Erica's hand and hit her. Hard.

He then picked her up even as she reached out for Sunny. Even Addicus took the Kittens.

When they disappeared in a green light, everyone began to act immediately. Tygra and Panthro and Cheetara took out their weapons. Lion-O stood and searched for Omens. When he found it, he stilled. The blade had shrunk. It could only mean one thing.

Omens had given up on him.

Omens couldn't be used against a force of good. The countless of enemies he had faced were not pure of heart. In them, was evil. Not once did the blade shrink.

Except now. Sunny was an innocent bystander. He was just there, trying to help his friend. He was good.

And Lion-O had killed him.

Something felt heavy in his right hand.

He looked down and his heart dropped.

He was holding the Jester and the Hunger cards.

The Jester. He will act like a fool and be seen as a fool.

The Hunger meant danger. Losing control. Consumed by power. Strength, but strength through dominance. Not true strength. But abusing power.

Lion-O looked up at the other Cats. They were staring back at him. They saw what happened. They saw what he did. Saw how Omens had shrunk.

"You will be seen acting like a fool to others. They will not see you as a king, but a Jester"

Igor's words spoke truly.

His comrades saw him as a Jester.

"You will become a king who will abuse his power."

Igor had been right.

Lion-O was hungry.

Hungry for revenge.

Hungry for power.

A Jester who has Hunger.

Hunger.

Hunger.

Hunger.


	49. The Days When My Mother Was There

**Hey guys! Dark here!**

**So I've been busy the last two months and that's why I haven't posted anything for a while. Thankfully school is almost over and I'll have more time to write.**

**Also, Persona 5 was released a while ago and it has taken over my life. Side note: I don't own a PS4 but I did buy the game and am living vicariously through others on YouTube. So there's that.**

**Also, a song on the P5 OST is the same title as the chapter. That song is so good. I decided to use that for the chapter title.**

**As per usual, I don't own anything. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Claudus saw the human girl – Echo – staring at a painting of his wife. The mere sight of it perplexed him as he thought the girl didn't pay much attention to his wife. More or less, the human knew the queen died long ago, but hadn't said much about it.

Earlier in the day, Claudus was with Lion-O and Tygra in the war room. He was teaching them about battle tactics and observing their environment. Tygra, as usual, paid close attention to his lesson. Lion-O, to Claudus' surprise, was listening too. He was surprised by the sudden change in attitude. Usually, Lion-O did pay attention to his lessons, but it seemed like his mind was somewhere else. Before, he assumed that he didn't care that much about being king. This angered him but didn't express it.

Things got worse after the human stumbled into their kingdom. It had been only 3 months since her arrival and she's all Lion-O could talk about. Claudus would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the girl. Everything about her was alien. To her skin, her hair, her eyes, everything about her was different. Jaga had told him to be patient with the girl as she had no recollection of her past. And while he did sympathize with her, there was something about her that didn't feel right.

If he had to guess why Lion-O wasn't focusing on his lessons, it would have to be the presence of the girl. At first, Claudus wondered if Lion-O harbored feelings towards her. After listening to him talk about her on occasions, he realized his son was only curious about her. They got closer together as friends. While Claudus approved of their friendship, he did wish Lion-O wouldn't focus his thoughts on her and the technology he brings back.

Although, he was curious about Echo. Who was she? And why is she here?

Later that same day, Claudus had finished a meeting with the council and was on his way back to his room to sign documents when he saw Echo looking at the painting of his late wife.

The girl didn't sense his presence. She continued to stare at Leona.

"What was she like?"

Claudus' heart skipped a beat. So, she did notice his presence.

Clearing his throat, he sauntered over to stand next to her.

"What do you mean?" He asked. The human knew very little about Leona, other than she was the Queen and died giving birth to Lion-O. Why was she showing interest all of a sudden?

"I see this painting all the time but never looked at it carefully," Echo spoke softly. "She's beautiful. I can see the kindness in her eyes."

Hearing her words, Claudus gazed at the painting. Leona was indeed beautiful. Dare he say, the most beautiful women ever to walk Thundera and Third Earth. It made him sound like a hopeless romantic, but he didn't care. He truly did love Leona for everything she was. Her kindness, her generosity, her loving care for Tygra, her love for Lion-O while she was pregnant with him. Everything about her was lovely.

It was a shame she had to leave the world so soon. He kept a strong while the city mourned the loss of their queen. He hugged Tygra when he cried. When he was alone, tears would trickle down his cheeks. Even if he didn't make any noise, the tears were a testament of how he felt. Even though she was gone, she left him something he would forever love: Lion-O.

"She was… everything I wished for." Claudus said. "I had never met such a kind-hearted woman like her before."

Echo glanced at him before returning her attention back to the portrait. "Did she love Lion-O?"

That question nearly took the breath out of him. This human sure was strange with her questions.

"Of course, she did. She loved him and Tygra. She would speak to him through her belly. She even got to see him briefly before she… died. There was nothing but love for her sons."

Through the corner of his eyes, he saw the human smile faintly before it disappeared.

"There has to be something more than just passing by this painting all the time to grab your attention." Claudus knew there was something more to this. Echo wouldn't just gaze at the painting without having another motive.

For a moment, she didn't speak. "Lion-O and I were talking about my past. The topic of parents came up. I tried to remember my parents. But nothing came. He then told me about you and Leona. Even though he has no memory of her, he knew she loved him. I just wanted to know what she was like."

The human's past was a topic of discussion Claudus would have with Jaga on occasions. The Cleric had theorized that she would get her memories back at some point. Who knew when that would happen. The girl couldn't recall her real name. She couldn't remember… anything.

"You don't remember your parents, do you?"

Echo dropped her gaze to the ground. "No... I don't."

Emotions like this from a stranger made Claudus uncomfortable. He did sympathize with her feelings, but he didn't know how to comfort her. Let alone what to say.

After a moment of thinking, he spoke. "I'm sure your parents loved you. Even if you don't remember them, I'm sure they did."

He meant what he said. There are parents who do not care for their kids. But there are those who do. To this girl, she had a mother and a father who cared for her. Even if she was a stranger, he somehow knew she was loved.

Echo nodded, the corner of her lips tugging up. "Thank you."

She turned on her heels and walked away.

* * *

"Hand me that piece."

The tiny bolt floated in the air before landing on Lion-O's hand. "Thanks. I'm almost done with this."

Echo sat on his bed, staring at the scraps of metal on Lion-O's desk. It had been another day of them going to Jorma's and getting random stuff. When they got back to the palace, his father called him to have one of his lessons. He left, leaving Echo to her lonesome. When Lion-O was busy with his lessons, Echo would either stay in her room reading, read in the library, or go to the garden. She decided to stay in her room and read. After she was done reading, she exited her room and went to look for Lion-O. She figured he was in his room and went there.

She then saw the painting of the queen, Leona.

Seeing it brought her back to yesterday when she and Lion-O were coming up with more theories about her past. The topic of parents came up.

That memory was what made her stop and stare at the painting. Then Claudus came and they had a short talk.

What she got out of it was something she didn't expect. She knew her relation with Claudus was strained. He wasn't exactly being subtle about his suspicions about her. But he was kind to her, even reassuring her.

Still, she did want to know more about her parents. Her mom, specifically. What was she like? Did she love her?

"Echo?"

She looked back at Lion-O, who was staring at her with concern.

"Are you alright? I called your name a few times. Is something wrong?"

Echo looked down, not wanting for Lion-O to see her expression. "Just thinking about my mom."

Lion-O set down his tools and sat down next to her.

"What about her?"

"The usual. What does she look like, what her job was? If she loved me? I know it's no use trying to remember since I can't recall anything. I just want to know more about her. That's all."

As she said those words, she felt her heart clench. Why can't she remember the woman who gave her life? Why?

A hand rubbed her back in a circular motion. She looked up so see Lion-O rubbing her back.

"I'm sure you'll remember her soon. And I know this is going the extra mile, but I'm sure she loved you."

Claudus said those words. Now Lion-O was saying them. She might not remember her mom. But if both of them said she loved her, Echo believed them.

She smiled. "Thanks."


	50. Interlude

**Hey everyone! Back at it again with a short chapter. This won't be a long one but I hope you enjoy it! After WAR posted a new chapter, I was so excited! We're almost near the end guys!**

**As per usual, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

If you were to drop a pin, the sound of it will echo loudly throughout the small room. That's how quiet it was. Small noises amplified to startle anyone. The only sound resonating through the room was Erica's breathing. She was lying on her bed, staring at the metallic ceiling. There had been nothing to do. No mission. No training. No recon. Nothing. As if Markata had forgotten about her. It was a silly thought, she had to admit. Who could forget about the only human in existence? Aside from Markata, of course. She still wasn't sure if he was considered a human, seeing how he can change from human to Mumm-Ra.

Occasionally, her eyes would fall onto the door, expecting it to open and have Markata fill her in on a new mission. Normally, she was fine with any mission. Except, for now, she wished for them. Whether it be recon, or even straight up attacking the Thundercats, she needed something to take her mind off of Sunny.

Just even thinking about his name dampened her mood. As if it wasn't already bad enough. It had been two days since Sunny was killed. She failed to grab all the pieces. If only Grune hadn't taken her away, she could've gathered them all. Maybe even fix him. She'd done them before. Fixing his mechanical paws, rebooting his system, anything to make the Berbil function at his best. Only this time, there was nothing to fix. No Sunny. Her little ball of sunshine.

Even if she didn't like to show it, she did care for the little Berbil. If Sunny wanted to be carried, she would pick him up. She didn't do it as often when he lifted his arms, but she would pick him up on occasions to calm her nerves. Or when he would roll into a ball, he would hop onto her bed and sleep next to her. At times, she was annoyed by this, but she didn't mind. She would even cuddle him. Now he isn't here anymore. She wants nothing more than to feel the fur against her cheek. How she had taken him for granted.

Sighing, she pushed herself off of her bed and stood up. Across the room, was the vanity with the broken mirror. How long had it been since she had punched it? Pieces of the glass were still secured to the edges. Dried blood had stained part of the vanity. She could still feel the pain when she shattered the glass. The illusion of her in the mirror breaking into pieces. She wondered…

Using her power, she lifted a piece of glass from the vanity mirror and held it a couple of inches away from her face. She'd expected to see remnants of Echo in the reflection. A ghost haunting her. But the mirror only reflected Erica. And she looked tired.

Sleep hadn't come to her in the last two days. Fits of tossing and turning to starting at the ceiling. Her nightmares consisted of Sunny getting slashed. She was running on short naps at this point. And her reflection showed. Dark circles under her eyes, hair disheveled. Even her skin was paler than usual. She was a mess.

Was this the face the Wily Twins had looked at when she told them to go? The tears streaming down her face, the tiredness of her voice, the trembling of her body. What's worse, the words Kit had said remained with her. She loved her. Even after everything she had done, Kit, and even Kat still loved her. In their minds, she could still be saved. They even called her Echo.

What made it hard was that she still loves them. Deep in the black hole she calls a heart, there's still love for the twins. The twins believed in her. She was still their friend, despite circumstances.

Still looking at her reflection, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and spoke.

"Am I worth it? Am I worth saving?"

… Silence was the answer.

A part of her expected some ethereal voice to say something. Hell, she would've even preferred if Ghost Echo had said anything. But there was nothing. Just the eternal silence of her room.

She let the glass drop to the ground, shattering it. Settling down back onto her bed, she lay her head down onto the pillow and closed her eyes. A lot has happened. And more was to come. Now is the calm before the storm.

Tomorrow is a new day. For now, she slept.

* * *

She was sitting on her bed in her uniform when Markata had stepped in.

"Good morning, Riley. I hope you slept well last night."

Erica nodded in response. Last night was the best sleep she had ever had. She was now energized, ready for the day.

Markata smiled at her. "Good. Your next mission will be a difficult one. I hope you got over your fear of the ocean."


End file.
